The study, led by the University of Essex in the UK, found that trauma alters the development of a young brain and affects areas such as problem solving and empathy.
Dr. Megan Klabunde said this discovery will enable new treatments to reverse these effects.
Dr. Klabunde said: "We found that there were marked changes in two large clusters in the brain. We now know that problem solving and self-focus are affected, which means that a person can struggle with emotions, relating and even understanding their own body. It also affects memory and decision-making."
When she was 16 years old, she was subjected to female genital mutilation in Nigeria, a young woman named Valeria said: "Before I knew what was happening, I was on the ground. Someone sat on my chest. This was the beginning of a lifelong trauma for me. I suffered physically and emotionally for years."
Kari, who said she was sexually abused as a child, said, "I can't find the words to describe what this research means to me. I have struggled with relationships for years and always wondered 'why me?' Now I know it's not my fault."