Prolonged activation of the body’s stress system during early development can damage the formation of the neural connections that comprise our brain architecture and set our stress-response system at a hair-trigger level. We can thus comprehend why children born into such circumstances have more problems in school, are more likely to commit crimes, and are more prone to heart disease, diabetes, and a host of other physical and mental illnesses later in life.
神经学和生物学的研究使得我们了解到，贫穷以及其他不利因素是如何伤害到我们身体的。儿童时期长期的精神压力可能伤害到神经联结的形成，从而影响到大脑的结构，最终导致压力应急反应过于敏感。我们现在可以理解，为什么大量在这种环境下成长的孩子会在学校里成为问题学生，更有可能走向犯罪或是容易患上心脏病，糖尿病和其他等生理心理方面的疾病。