Additionally, some studies with institutionalized children experiencing neglect and transitioning into
nurturing homes through adoption show an initial normalization
of diurnal cortisol slopes, 10 but other studies show that years later dysregulated cortisol
patterns are present again when compared with nonadopted children.33 This raises the possibility that early adversity may have programming effects on the HPA axis that become apparent with time and
development, similar to what has been observed in experimental studies in primates and rodents.34 The follow - up assessment in the present study is ideally suited for testing the possibility
of long - lasting reversals in HPA functioning.