Early adversity influences brain development and emerging behavioral phenotypes relevant for psychiatric disorders. Understanding the effects of adversity before and after conception on brain development has implications for contextualizing current public health crises and pervasive health inequities. The use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study the brain at rest has shifted understanding of brain functioning and organization in the earliest periods of life. Here we review applications of this technique to examine effects of early life stress (ELS) on neurodevelopment in infancy, and highlight targets for future research. Building on the foundation of existing work in this area will require tackling significant challenges, including greater inclusion of often marginalized segments of society, and conducting larger, properly powered studies.

早期逆境会影响大脑发育以及与精神疾病相关的新行为表型。了解受孕前后的逆境对大脑发育的影响对于了解当前的公共卫生危机和普遍存在的健康不平等具有重要意义。使用功能磁共振成像（fMRI）来研究休息时的大脑改变了人们对生命早期大脑功能和组织的理解。在这里，我们回顾了该技术的应用，以检查早期生活压力（ELS）对婴儿期神经发育的影响，并强调未来研究的目标。在这一领域现有工作的基础上，需要应对重大挑战，包括更多地包容往往被边缘化的社会群体，并开展更大规模、动力适当的研究。