It has long been recognized that an individual's experiences can metaphorically ‘get under the skin’ and become biologically embedded, thus affecting behavior and life outcomes (Hertzman, 2012). While this term is most often used to describe how adverse experiences influence biological process, it is rarely discussed how the same can be said of positive experiences, such as intervention to prevent or treat negative outcomes. In their annual review, Nelson et al. (2023) provide a timely and comprehensive review of how early intervention capitalizes on the neuroplasticity of the postnatal years, turning periods of ‘vulnerability’ to ones of ‘opportunity’. Drawing on decades of expertise, they discuss the neurobiological mechanisms of intervention in two contexts: caregiving interventions for children growing up in disadvantaged environments, and therapeutic interventions for children at elevated risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism. They thought-provokingly describe both how early intervention operates through mechanisms of neural plasticity and how this can and should inform policy decisions to provide the greatest benefit to children. Here, I aim to underscore the importance of this review by addressing the intersection of these topics; specifically, I muse on how the scientific discovery of biological processes and the ethical imperative to support vulnerable children's development are intimately intertwined, and how this highlights both critical lines of future inquiry as well as policy implications.

中文翻译：

---

考虑早期大脑发育早期干预的交叉性和相互作用水平——尼尔森等人的评论。(2023)

人们早就认识到，个人的经历可以隐喻地“深入皮肤”并嵌入生物中，从而影响行为和生活结果（Hertzman，2012）。虽然这个术语最常用于描述不良经历如何影响生物过程，但很少讨论如何对积极经历进行同样的描述，例如预防或治疗负面结果的干预措施。在他们的年度回顾中，尼尔森等人。(2023) 对早期干预如何利用产后的神经可塑性、将“脆弱期”转变为“机会期”进行了及时而全面的回顾。他们利用数十年的专业知识，讨论了两种背景下的干预的神经生物学机制：对在不利环境中成长的儿童的护理干预，以及对患有自闭症等神经发育障碍风险较高的儿童的治疗干预。他们发人深省地描述了早期干预如何通过神经可塑性机制进行运作，以及它如何能够并且应该为政策决策提供信息，从而为儿童提供最大的利益。在这里，我的目的是通过讨论这些主题的交叉点来强调本次审查的重要性；具体来说，我思考生物过程的科学发现与支持弱势儿童发展的道德要求如何紧密地交织在一起，以及这如何突出未来调查的关键线索以及政策影响。