ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES AND ADULT RISK FACTORS FOR AGE-RELATED DISEASEDepression, Inflammation, and Clustering of Metabolic Risk Factors

Danese A, Moffitt TE, Harrington H, Milne BJ, Polancyzk G, Pariante CM, Poulton R, Caspi A., (2009).

By: Karen Kaye

INTRODUCTION People are living longer, thus age-related diseases are increasing

(Lutz et al., 2008; Murray et al., 1997).

Effective strategies are needed to improve quality of longer lives from these age-related diseases (Braunwald et al., 1997; Edbrahim et al., 2006).

Interventions in later adulthood have limited efficacy, so there is increasing knowledge that many of these diseases can be triggered by childhood experiences (McGill et al., 2003).

Age-related conditions examined:

Depression- HPA hyperreactivity- CVD- diabetes- dementia- Vascular changes- Hypercoagulability

Inflammation- Atherosclerosis- Insulin resistance- Neurodegeneration- Diabetes- Dementia

Metabolic Risk Markers- CVD- Diabetes- Dementia - Hormonal imbalance- Vascular lesions

INTRO CONTINUED

It is important to get a better understanding of the origins of these diseases through studying adverse childhood experiences:

1. Low SES

2. Maltreatment

3. Social Isolation

Research Questions:1. Are the effects of different adverse childhood experiences distinct

from each other?2. Do these experiences have different effects on biological systems?3. Are childhood experiences independent of other risk factors for

disease?

METHODSParticipant sample:

Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, New Zealand

1037 (52% male) born between 1972-73, full range SES, mostly white

Assessments started at age 3, stopped at age 32 (final N=892)

Timeline:

1972-73 2004-05

3 5 7 181513119 2621 32

Childhood SES

Social IsolationBMI

Maternal rejectionHarsh discipline

Primary caregiverPhysical abuseSexual abuse

Blood samplesDepression

MRMFamily History Current SES

Health behaviors

RESULTS

RESULTS

RESULTS

DISCUSSIONAre the effects of different adverse childhood experiences distinct from each other? Each adverse childhood experience independently predicts a greater number of

age-related disease

Do these experiences have different effects on biological systems? Adverse childhood experiences were found to affect metabolic risk

factors and inflammation

Are childhood experiences independent of other risk factors for disease? After accounting for the effects of established developmental and

concurrent risk factors, each childhood experience still predicted a greater number of age-related-disease risks

DISCUSSION

Do you have questions about the methods?

DISCUSSION

Do you have any critiques?

DISCUSSION

What are the implications?