When we think of child abuse, physical violence or emotional cruelty often comes to mind first. However, the most common form of maltreatment is actually much quieter: neglect. Affecting three out of four children in substantiated abuse cases worldwide, child neglect involves the failure to provide basic necessities like adequate food, shelter, supervision, or protection. Despite causing documented long-term mental health problems and developmental issues, this 'invisible' form of maltreatment has received surprisingly little scientific attention.
A major challenge with neglect is that its effects often fly under the radar. Unlike physical abuse, which may leave visible marks, many neglected children don't show obvious behavioral problems right away, making it difficult for teachers, doctors, and social workers to identify who needs help. Moreover, most brain research has focused on more overt forms of maltreatment, leaving a crucial question unanswered: how does neglect affect a developing child's brain?
In an effort to address this knowledge gap, the research team at the Research Center for Child Mental Development at the University of Fukui, Japan, conducted a study using advanced neuroimaging techniques to examine the impact of neglect on the brain development in children. Their paper, published in Volume 15 of Scientific Reports on July 26, 2025, was spearheaded by Professor Akemi Tomoda, who served as the corresponding author and provided the overall leadership that guided the study to completion.
The researchers compared the white matter microstructure of neglected children without other types of maltreatment to that of typically developing children. They used diffusion tensor imaging, a technique that excels at detecting even subtle abnormalities, to identify how neglect affects neural communication pathways.
The study involved 21 neglected children and 106 typically developing children. Through comprehensive whole-brain analysis, the researchers found that neglected children had significant abnormalities in three critical brain regions. These included the right corticospinal tract, which controls voluntary movement and motor skills; the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, which plays a key role in attention, language, and executive functions; and the left cingulum, which connects emotional and cognitive brain systems and is crucial for emotional regulation. Notably, the changes observed in these pathways were directly linked to conduct problems and behavioral difficulties. "Our findings demonstrate that even in the absence of physical or emotional abuse, neglect alone can have a profound impact on brain development," highlights Dr. Tomoda.
Taken together, these changes in the brain identified by the research team provide objective markers that could help professionals identify children affected by neglect, even before serious behavioral or developmental problems become apparent. This is particularly valuable because the effects of neglect are often invisible to casual observers.
Moreover, the findings of the study could help reshape child protection policies and inform training programs for professionals. By understanding the interplay between neglect and its effect on behavior and the brain, it will be possible to design targeted interventions and therapies that can directly address the specific developmental challenges faced by affected children. "In the future, the newfound brain-based indicators may be used to monitor neurodevelopment and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions, contributing to the establishment of new support models for neglected children," concludes Dr. Tomoda.
By understanding neglect as a major form of adversity, this work highlights the urgent need for strengthened support systems for affected children. Hopefully, further investigations on the effects of this form of childhood maltreatment will ultimately lead to a better future for those who are at the receiving end of such abuse.
