How Early Life Adversity Rewires the Developing Brain

What if the roots of anxiety, depression, and early puberty trace back to the first years of life — and we've been asking the wrong questions? In this episode, host Deborah Westphal sits down with Angarika Balakrishnan, PhD candidate at the Brenhouse Lab at Northeastern University, whose research links early-life adversity to long-term brain development, neuroendocrine disruption, and mental health outcomes. Key Takeaways Early-life adversity is not a single variable — timing, type, and pr...