Many aspects of brain development depend
on experience. Because the major macro-morphological events of brain development occur over
the first 2–3 years of postnatal life, this time period can be considered both a period of
opportunity as well as a period of vulnerability. In this paper we describe how experience with
stress early in life can have a negative impact on certain aspects of brain development, and
specifically, those neural circuits that underlie memory. We also describe the effects of traumatic
events on the development of the neural basis of memory. In support of our argument, we review
the literature on brain, stress, and memory in the context of development. Based on this review,
we suggest that the developing brain is particularly vulnerable to the harmful physiological
effects of stress, which in turn has the potential to lead to impairments in memory.
Unfortunately, there are few empirical data that directly address this hypothesis. In this context
we offer a number of suggestions for future research.