Early life adversity predicts an accelerated cellular aging phenotype through early timing of puberty

Childhood adversity, accelerated GrimAge, and associated health consequences

Childhood adversity is linked to psychological, behavioral, and physical health problems, including obesity and cardiometabolic disease. Epigenetic alterations are one pathway through which the effects of early life stress and adversity might persist into adulthood. Epigenetic mechanisms have also been proposed to explain why cardiometabolic health can vary greatly between individuals with similar Body Mass Index (BMIs). We evaluated two independent cross-sectional cohorts of adults without known medical illness, one of which explicitly recruited individuals with early life stress (ELS) and control participants (n = 195), and the other a general community sample (n = 477). In these cohorts, we examine associations between childhood adversity, epigenetic aging, and metabolic health. Childhood adversity was associated with increased GrimAge Acceleration (GAA) in both cohorts, both utilizing a dichotomous yes/no classification (both p < 0.01) as well as a continuous measure using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) (both p < 0.05). Further investigation demonstrated that CTQ subscales for physical and sexual abuse (both p < 0.05) were associated with increased GAA in both cohorts, whereas physical and emotional neglect were not. In both cohorts, higher CTQ was also associated with higher BMI and increased insulin resistance (both p < 0.05). Finally, we demonstrate a moderating effect of BMI on the relationship between GAA and insulin resistance where GAA correlated with insulin resistance specifically at higher BMIs. These results, which were largely replicated between two independent cohorts, suggest that interactions between epigenetics, obesity, and metabolic health may be important mechanisms through which childhood adversity contributes to long-term physical and metabolic health effects.

Childhood trauma is linked to epigenetic age deceleration in young adults with previous youth residential care placements

Background: Early adversity increases the risk for mental and physical disorders as well as premature death. Epigenetic processes, and altered epigenetic aging in particular, might mediate these effects. While the literature that examined links between early adversity and epigenetic aging is growing, results have been heterogeneous.Objective: In the current work, we explored the link between early adversity and epigenetic aging in a sample of formerly out-of-home placed young adults.Method: A total of N = 117 young adults (32% women, age mean = 26.3 years, SD = 3.6 years) with previous youth residential care placements completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Life Events Checklist (LEC-R) and provided blood samples for the analysis of DNA methylation using the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip Microarray. Epigenetic age was estimated using Hovarth's and Hannum's epigenetic clocks. Furthermore, Hovarth's and Hannum's epigenetic age residuals were calculated as a proxy of epigenetic aging by regressing epigenetic age on chronological age. The statistical analysis plan was preregistered (https://osf.io/b9ev8).Results: Childhood trauma (CTQ) was negatively associated with Hannum's epigenetic age residuals, β = -.23, p = .004 when controlling for sex, BMI, smoking status and proportional white blood cell type estimates. This association was driven by experiences of physical neglect, β = -.25, p = .001. Lifetime trauma exposure (LEC-R) was not a significant predictor of epigenetic age residuals.Conclusion: Childhood trauma, and physical neglect in particular, was associated with decelerated epigenetic aging in our sample. More studies focusing on formerly institutionalized at-risk populations are needed to better understand which factors affect stress-related adaptations following traumatic experiences.

Essential Nutrients, Added Sugar Intake, and Epigenetic Age in Midlife Black and White Women: NIMHD Social Epigenomics Program

Importance

Nutritive compounds play critical roles in DNA replication, maintenance, and repair, and also serve as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents. Sufficient dietary intakes support genomic stability and preserve health.

Objective

To investigate the associations of dietary patterns, including intakes of essential nutrients and added sugar, and diet quality scores of established and new nutrient indices with epigenetic age in a diverse cohort of Black and White women at midlife.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cross-sectional study included analyses (2021-2023) of past women participants of the 1987-1997 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Growth and Health Study (NGHS), which examined cardiovascular health in a community cohort of Black and White females aged between 9 and 19 years. Of these participants who were recruited between 2015 and 2019 from NGHS's California site, 342 females had valid completed diet and epigenetic assessments. The data were analyzed from October 2021 to November 2023.

Exposure

Diet quality scores of established nutrient indices (Alternate Mediterranean Diet [aMED], Alternate Healthy Eating Index [AHEI]-2010); scores for a novel, a priori-developed Epigenetic Nutrient Index [ENI]; and mean added sugar intake amounts were derived from 3-day food records.

Main Outcomes and Measures

GrimAge2, a second-generation epigenetic clock marker, was calculated from salivary DNA. Hypotheses were formulated after data collection. Healthier diet indicators were hypothesized to be associated with younger epigenetic age.

Results

A total of 342 women composed the analytic sample (mean [SD] age, 39.2 [1.1] years; 171 [50.0%] Black and 171 [50.0%] White participants). In fully adjusted models, aMED (β, -0.41; 95% CI, -0.69 to -0.13), AHEI-2010 (β, -0.05; 95% CI, -0.08 to -0.01), and ENI (β, -0.17; 95% CI, -0.29 to -0.06) scores, and added sugar intake (β, 0.02; 95% CI, 0.01-0.04) were each significantly associated with GrimAge2 in expected directions. In combined analyses, the aforementioned results with GrimAge2 were preserved with the association estimates for aMED and added sugar intake retaining their statistical significance.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cross-sectional study, independent associations were observed for both healthy diet and added sugar intake with epigenetic age. To our knowledge, these are among the first findings to demonstrate associations between added sugar intake and epigenetic aging using second-generation epigenetic clocks and one of the first to extend analyses to a diverse population of Black and White women at midlife. Promoting diets aligned with chronic disease prevention recommendations and replete with antioxidant or anti-inflammatory and pro-epigenetic health nutrients while emphasizing low added sugar consumption may support slower cellular aging relative to chronological age, although longitudinal analyses are needed.

Going Beyond Childhood and Gender-Based Violence: Epigenetic Modifications and Inheritance

Being exposed to childhood or gender-based violence is associated with subsequent adverse events in individual lives. Not only can it cause psychological distress but violence survivors suffer from a range of long-term adverse health outcomes, including higher morbidity, higher mortality, and higher risk of chronic diseases. Epigenetics may be involved in the determinisms of these long-term detrimental effects. A large body of evidence supports this biological mechanism to explain violence-related health impairment in the long term. However, studies specifically focusing on violence are scant and nonunivocal. Epigenetic modifications of genes involved in stress response and in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation are the most commonly and consistently reported. Promising evidence also emerged for the use of epigenetic clocks. Finally, although very limited, there is evidence supporting the notion that long-term health impairment may be transmitted from one generation to the other. Overall, despite promising, available evidence is yet incomplete. The overlap with pure psychological mechanisms of health impairment exposes the findings to confounders and hampers strong conclusions. Based on a literature search on PubMed/Embase, our narrative review aims to illustrate the evidence concerning the potential bond between epigenetics and violence, including also possible impacts on later generations. The goal is to encourage further research to help the development of a more holistic approach for such a vulnerable and often neglected population. Further research is warranted to precisely disentangle the role of epigenetics in mediating the long-term health impairment associated with childhood or gender-based violence. Advances in this area may open new avenues of treatment. Epigenetic modifications may indeed be reversible and could be an attractive therapeutic target to minimize the long-term consequences of childhood or gender-based violence.

Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Black Older Adults

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are socially complex events that affect children early in their lives. Research indicates that experiencing multiple ACEs increases an individual's risk for chronic physical and mental illness and premature death. Multigenerational traumas, including slavery, segregation, and institutional racism, have created an environment that perpetuates social and economic inequalities, ultimately leading to an increased risk of ACEs in Black individuals. ACEs' effects can manifest in Black older adults as physical health problems and mental health and social issues. Addressing the disparities in ACEs among Black older adults requires a multifaceted approach. Culturally sensitive and trauma-informed approaches are vital in supporting the mental and physical health of Black older adults who experienced ACEs. Clinicians, researchers, and policymakers need to advocate for supportive policies and interventions that address systemic racism, promote economic opportunities, and ensure equitable access to resources. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 62(2), 9-12.].