Childhood abuse is associated with increased startle reactivity in adulthood

Abstract

The long-lasting effects of early life trauma result in increased risk for adult psychopathology. These new data demonstrate that a self-report history of child abuse is related to altered baseline startle response that is not accounted for by PTSD or depression symptoms. Increased startle may be a biomarker of stress responsiveness that can be a persevering consequence of early trauma exposure during childhood.