Overview

• Using diffusion tensor imaging, the University of Fukui team compared 21 neglected children with 106 typically developing peers to isolate the effects of neglect without other maltreatment.
• Abnormalities localized to the right corticospinal tract, right superior longitudinal fasciculus, and left cingulum, with increased axial diffusivity indicating altered white-matter microstructure.
• The observed pathway changes correlated with conduct problems and behavioral difficulties within the neglected group.
• The peer-reviewed findings, published July 26 in Scientific Reports, position these neuroimaging differences as potential objective indicators for screening and intervention design.
• Researchers emphasize limits of the cross-sectional, modest sample and call for replication, larger and longitudinal cohorts, and evaluation before any clinical or policy adoption.