Network on Reversibility Meeting
The third and final Network on Reversibility meeting was held on October 14th and 15th, 2013 in London, UK. This workshop was hosted by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) with support from the National Institute on Aging. Meeting participants concluded a two-year survey of a range of human and animal studies that a) clarified the observed links between early pre- and post-natal adversity and adult health; b) suggested both psychological and biological mechanisms that accounted for these links and c) indicated directions for adult interventions that might diminish the risk of early adversity. Meeting participants suggested a set of focused objectives for future research including a) more accurate estimates of risk of adult illness attributable to early adversity, b) animal and human pilot studies of interventions to reduce that risk, c) more basic research on neuroplasticity particularly that directed at “reopening“ critical periods of learning that typify early childhood and d) a special focus on the pregnancy and early infancy as an unusual opportunity for interventions that would reduce risk in both parent and child. An agenda (MS Word, 31.6K), attendee list (MS Word, 304K), and executive summary (MS Word, 289K) of the meeting are available.