Date of Award:

8-2026

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Human Development and Family Studies

Committee Chair(s)

Lisa K. Boyce (Committee Chair) Spencer Bradshaw (Committee Co-Chair)

Committee

Lisa K. Boyce

Committee

Spencer Bradshaw

Committee

Amanda Ramos

Committee

Diana Meter

Committee

Ronald B. Gillam

Abstract

Early childhood is a critical period for brain development. Positive and negative experiences during this time can have lasting effects on learning, health, and well-being. However, most research on children’s brain development has been conducted in wealthy, industrialized nations, leaving important gaps in our understanding of how children develop in other cultural and environmental contexts.

This study examined brain development in Indigenous Kichwa children living in two rural communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest. The goal was to better understand how chronic stress and nutrition may influence a child’s developing brain during early childhood. Children participated in noninvasive brain assessments at approximately four and six years of age. The study also measured levels of cortisol, a marker of long-term stress, and collected information about children’s growth and nutritional status.

The results showed that children’s brain networks changed substantially between ages four and six, reflecting maturation during this important developmental period. Children with more chronic stress showed differences in both brain organization and change across time. These findings suggest that chronic stress may influence how children’s brains develop during early childhood. Children’s physical growth was also related to certain aspects of brain organization, suggesting that nutrition and overall health may play a role in healthy brain development.

This research provides new information about brain development in a unique population that has been largely overlooked in developmental neuroscience. By including Indigenous Kichwa children, this study helps broaden the scientific understanding of how different environmental experiences shape development across diverse populations. These findings may help inform future efforts to support child health, nutrition, and well-being in underserved communities, contributing to a more complete understanding of children’s development worldwide.

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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