Protective Parents, Children's Brain Get Growth Slow

Some parents show affection to the child by way too protective. Though this behavior is not only inhibit the freedom of the child, but also slows the growth of his brain.

Delay in brain growth may be associated with mental illness. Children whose parents are too protective will be more prone to psychiatric disorders, which can later be associated with defects of the brain in the prefrontal cortex.

To investigate the relationship, Kosuke Narita, researchers from Gunma University in Japan perform a scan (scan) of the brain of 50 children over the age of 20 years and asked him to fill out surveys about their relationship with their parents during the first 16 years of life.

Researchers used a survey called the Parental Bonding Instrument, this survey has been recognized internationally as a way to measure the child's relationship with his parents. In the survey, participants will be asked to assess his parents through statements such as 'Is parent does not want me to grow up', 'Trying to control everything I do' or 'Trying to make me feel dependent on their parents'.

The result, Narita find children who are educated by overprotective parents have a particular problem in the area of ​​the prefrontal cortex than children who have a healthy relationship with her parents. Besides the father who fails to keep the child could also affect, though the mother to give attention and affection enough.

Part of the prefrontal cortex of the brain that is supposed to develop during childhood, but because parents are too protective, which inhibits growth. Abnormalities in these brain regions are generally found in people suffering from mental illnesses like schizophrenia or another.

"It is likely due to release of the stress hormone cortisol excess, whether due to negligence or overly protective parents as well as reduced production of dopamine triggers growth inhibition of the gray areas in the brain," Narita said.

Anthony Harris, director of Clinical Disorders in units of Westmead Hospital in Sydney, Australia said the results of this study is important to highlight the wider community that parenting styles can have long-term effects on the growth of their children.

"But the differences in the brain as it is not always permanent, because some people there who can show great speed to recover," said Anthony Harr.