Childhood trauma causes lasting damage

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-06/kcl-ctg060215.php

Public Release: 2-Jun-2015
King's College London

Long-term changes in immune function caused by childhood trauma could explain increased vulnerability to a range of health problems in later life, according to new research by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London and the NIHR Maudsley BRC.

The study, published today in Molecular Psychiatry, found heightened inflammation across three blood biomarkers in adults who had been victims of childhood trauma. High levels of inflammation can lead to serious and potentially life-threatening conditions such as type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease as well as the onset of psychiatric disorders.

Childhood trauma was defined by the researchers as experiencing sexual, physical or emotional abuse, neglect, or separation from caregivers before the age of 17. Previous research has shown that childhood trauma increases vulnerability to several psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, psychosis and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as several chronic physical health problems, including arthritis, cardiovascular disease, lung disease and cancer. However, the biological pathway mediating vulnerability for these health problems has, until now, been unclear.

•••••

As well as the association between childhood trauma and increased blood inflammation, the researchers found that different types of trauma - emotional, physical or sexual abuse - affected these biomarkers in different ways. For instance, physical and sexual abuse was associated with significantly increased levels of two biomarkers - tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), whereas heightened levels of c-reactive protein (CRP) appeared to be primarily related to parental absence during early child development.

•••••

tags: child abuse