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Vidal AC, Sosnowski DW, Marchesoni J, Grenier C, Thorp J, Murphy SK, Johnson SB, Schlief W, Hoyo C. Maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and offspring imprinted gene DMR methylation at birth. Epigenetics 2024; 19:2293412. [PMID: 38100614 PMCID: PMC10730185 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2293412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) contribute to numerous negative health outcomes across the life course and across generations. Here, we extend prior work by examining the association of maternal ACEs, and their interaction with financial stress and discrimination, with methylation status within eight differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in imprinted domains in newborns. ACEs, financial stress during pregnancy, and experience of discrimination were self-reported among 232 pregnant women. DNA methylation was assessed at PEG10/SGCE, NNAT, IGF2, H19, PLAGL1, PEG3, MEG3-IG, and DLK1/MEG3 regulatory sequences using pyrosequencing. Using multivariable linear regression models, we found evidence to suggest that financial stress was associated with hypermethylation of MEG3-IG in non-Hispanic White newborns; discrimination was associated with hypermethylation of IGF2 and NNAT in Hispanic newborns, and with hypomethylation of PEG3 in non-Hispanic Black newborns. We also found evidence that maternal ACEs interacted with discrimination to predict offspring PLAGL1 altered DMR methylation, in addition to interactions between maternal ACEs score and discrimination predicting H19 and SGCE/PEG10 altered methylation in non-Hispanic White newborns. However, these interactions were not statistically significant after multiple testing corrections. Findings from this study suggest that maternal ACEs, discrimination, and financial stress are associated with newborn aberrant methylation in imprinted gene regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana C. Vidal
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - David W. Sosnowski
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joddy Marchesoni
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Carole Grenier
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - John Thorp
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maternal and Child Health, UNC Gillings School of Public Health, UNC, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Susan K. Murphy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sara B. Johnson
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Population, Family & Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - William Schlief
- Johns Hopkins All Children’s Pediatric Biorepository, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - Cathrine Hoyo
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
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Dilworth-Bart JE, Sankari T, Moore CF. A Multigenerational Model of Environmental Risk for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Children and Families. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:85001. [PMID: 39102348 DOI: 10.1289/ehp13110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent years, public discourse has increasingly brought institutional and structural racism to the foreground of discussion on the well-being of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities. Environmental toxicity in combination with the social triggers of institutional and structural racism are among the factors that shape the short- and long-term health of BIPOC Americans across multiple lifespans. OBJECTIVES We outline a 2 + Generation Model for examining the mechanisms through which institutional and structural racism promotes the intergenerational transmission of environmental health risk and family and interpersonal relationships across the life course and across multiple generations. We present the model's theoretical underpinnings and rationale, discuss model limitations and needed sources of data, and implications for research, policy, and intervention. DISCUSSION Parents and children are not only biologically linked in terms of transmission of environmental toxicities, but they are also linked socially and intergenerationally. The 2 + Generation Model foregrounds family and interpersonal relationships occurring within developmental contexts that are influenced by environmental toxicity as well as institutional and structural racism. In sum, the 2 + Generation Model highlights the need for an equity-first interdisciplinary approach to environmental health and redirects the burden of risk reduction away from the individual and onto the institutions and structures that perpetuate the racial disparities in exposure. Doing so requires institutional investment in expanded, multigenerational, and multimethod datasets. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13110.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janean E Dilworth-Bart
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Thea Sankari
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Colleen F Moore
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Psychology, Montana State University-Bozeman, Bozeman, Montana, USA
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Bourassa KJ, Sbarra DA. Trauma, adversity, and biological aging: behavioral mechanisms relevant to treatment and theory. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:285. [PMID: 38997260 PMCID: PMC11245531 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-03004-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Although stress and adversity are largely universal experiences, people exposed to greater hardship are at increased risk for negative health consequences. Recent studies identify accelerated biological aging as a mechanism that could explain how trauma and adversity gives rise to poor health, and advances in this area of study coincide with technological innovations in the measurement of biological aging, particularly epigenetic profiles consistent with accelerated aging derived from DNA methylation. In this review, we provide an overview of the current literature examining how adversity might accelerate biological aging, with a specific focus on social and health behaviors. The most extensive evidence in this area suggests that health-compromising behaviors, particularly smoking, may partially explain the association between adversity and accelerated aging. Although there is relatively less published support for the role of social behaviors, emerging evidence points to the importance of social connection as a mechanism for future study. Our review highlights the need to determine the extent to which the associations from adversity to accelerated aging are consistent with causal processes. As we consider these questions, the review emphasizes methodological approaches from the causal inference literature that can help deepen our understanding of how stress and trauma might result in poor health. The use of these methodologies will help provide evidence as to which behavioral interventions might slow aging and improve health, particularly among populations that more often experience adversity and trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle J Bourassa
- VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Durham VA Health Care System, Durham, NC, USA.
- Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Durham Veteran Affairs (VA) Health Care System, Durham, NC, USA.
- Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - David A Sbarra
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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Martínez M, Damme KS, Vargas T, Yang B, Rompilla DJ, Stephens J, Qu Y, Mittal VA, Haase CM. Longitudinal study of peer victimization, social support, and mental health during early adolescence. Psychol Med 2024; 54:1940-1955. [PMID: 38314519 PMCID: PMC11298578 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291724000035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Peer victimization predicts the development of mental health symptoms in the transition to adolescence, but it is unclear whether and how parents and school environments can buffer this link. METHODS We analyzed two-year longitudinal data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, involving a diverse sample of 11 844 children across the United States (average at baseline = 9.91 years; standard deviation = 0.63; range = 8.92-11.08; complete case sample = 8385). Longitudinal associations between peer victimization and two-year changes in mental health symptoms of major depression disorder (MDD), separation anxiety (SA), prodromal psychosis (PP), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were examined including a wide range of covariates. Mixed linear models were used to test for the moderating effects of parental warmth and prosocial school environment. RESULTS 20% of children experienced peer victimization. Higher exposure to peer victimization was associated with increases in MDD, SA, and ADHD symptoms. Parental warmth was associated with decreases in MDD symptoms but did not robustly buffer the link between peer victimization and mental health symptoms. Prosocial school environment predicted decreases in PP symptoms and buffered the link between peer victimization and MDD symptoms but amplified the link between peer victimization and SA and ADHD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Peer victimization is associated with increases in mental health symptoms during the transition to adolescence. Parental warmth and prosocial school environments might not be enough to counter the negative consequences of peer victimization on all mental health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matías Martínez
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | | | - Teresa Vargas
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Beiming Yang
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - D. J. Rompilla
- Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jacquelyn Stephens
- Osher Center for Integrative Health, Medical Social Sciences Department, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Yang Qu
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Vijay A. Mittal
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Osher Center for Integrative Health, Medical Social Sciences Department, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Claudia M. Haase
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Buffett Institute for Global Studies, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
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Christian LM, Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Cole SW, Burd CE, Madison AA, Wilson SJ, Rosko AE. Psychoneuroimmunology in multiple myeloma and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant: Opportunities for research among patients and caregivers. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 119:507-519. [PMID: 38643954 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable cancer and is the leading indication for autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). To be eligible for HSCT, a patient must have a caregiver, as caregivers play a central role in HSCT preparation and recovery. MM patients remain on treatment indefinitely, and thus patients and their caregivers face long-term challenges including the intensity of HSCT and perpetual therapy after transplant. Importantly, both patients and their caregivers show heightened depressive and anxiety symptoms, with dyadic correspondence evidenced and caregivers' distress often exceeding that of patients. An extensive psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) literature links distress with health via immune and neuroendocrine dysregulation as well as biological aging. However, data on PNI in the context of multiple myeloma - in patients or caregivers - are remarkably limited. Distress in MM patients has been associated with poorer outcomes including higher inflammation, greater one year post-HSCT hospital readmissions, and worse overall survival. Further, anxiety and depression are linked to biological aging and may contribute to the poor long-term health of both patients and caregivers. Because MM generally affects older adults, individual differences in biological aging may represent an important modifier of MM biology and HSCT treatment outcomes. There are a number of clinical scenarios in which biologically younger people could be prescribed more intensive therapies, with potential for greater benefit, by using a personalized cancer therapy approach based on the quantification of physiologic reserve. Further, despite considerable psychological demands, the effects of distress on health among MM caregivers is largely unexamined. Within this context, the current critical review highlights gaps in knowledge at the intersection of HSCT, inflammation, and biological aging in the context of MM. Research in this area hold promise for opportunities for novel and impactful psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) research to enhance health outcomes, quality of life, and longevity among both MM patients and their caregivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Christian
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210 USA; The Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Janice K Kiecolt-Glaser
- The Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Steve W Cole
- Departments of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Christin E Burd
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Annelise A Madison
- The Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Veteran's Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Stephanie J Wilson
- Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75206, USA
| | - Ashley E Rosko
- Division of Hematology, James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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Maunakea AK, Phankitnirundorn K, Peres R, Dye C, Juarez R, Walsh C, Slavens C, Park SL, Wilkens LR, Le Marchand L. Socioeconomic Status, Lifestyle, and DNA Methylation Age Among Racially and Ethnically Diverse Adults: NIMHD Social Epigenomics Program. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e2421889. [PMID: 39073814 PMCID: PMC11287425 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.21889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Variation in DNA methylation at specific loci estimates biological age, which is associated with morbidity, mortality, and social experiences. Aging estimates known as epigenetic clocks, including the Dunedin Pace of Aging Calculated From the Epigenome (DunedinPACE), were trained on data predominately from individuals of European ancestry; however, limited research has explored DunedinPACE in underrepresented populations experiencing health disparities. Objective To investigate associations of neighborhood and individual sociobehavioral factors with biological aging in a racially and ethnically diverse population. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study, part of the Multiethnic Cohort study conducted from May 1993 to September 1996 to examine racial and ethnic disparities in chronic diseases, integrated biospecimen and self-reported data collected between April 2004 and November 2005 from healthy Hawaii residents aged 45 to 76 years. These participants self-identified as of Japanese American, Native Hawaiian, or White racial and ethnic background. Data were analyzed from January 2022 to May 2024. Main Outcomes and Measures DNA methylation data were generated from monocytes enriched from cryopreserved lymphocytes and used to derive DunedinPACE scores from November 2017 to June 2021. Neighborhood social economic status (NSES) was estimated from 1990 US Census Bureau data to include factors such as educational level, occupation, and income. Individual-level factors analyzed included educational level, body mass index (BMI), physical activity (PA), and diet quality measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). Linear regression analysis of DunedinPACE scores was used to examine their associations with NSES and sociobehavioral variables. Results A total of 376 participants were included (113 [30.1%] Japanese American, 144 [38.3%] Native Hawaiian, and 119 [31.6%] White; 189 [50.3%] were female). Mean (SE) age was 57.81 (0.38) years. Overall, mean (SE) DunedinPACE scores were significantly higher among females than among males (1.28 [0.01] vs 1.25 [0.01]; P = .005); correlated negatively with NSES (R = -0.09; P = .08), HEI (R = -0.11; P = .03), and educational attainment (R = -0.15; P = .003) and positively with BMI (R = 0.31; P < .001); and varied by race and ethnicity. Native Hawaiian participants exhibited a higher mean (SE) DunedinPACE score (1.31 [0.01]) compared with Japanese American (1.25 [0.01]; P < .001) or White (1.22 [0.01]; P < .001) participants. Controlling for age, sex, HEI, BMI, and NSES, linear regression analyses revealed a negative association between educational level and DunedinPACE score among Japanese American (β, -0.005 [95% CI, -0.013 to 0.002]; P = .03) and Native Hawaiian (β, -0.003 [95% CI, -0.011 to 0.005]; P = .08) participants, yet this association was positive among White participants (β, 0.007; 95% CI, -0.001 to 0.015; P = .09). Moderate to vigorous PA was associated with lower DunedinPACE scores only among Native Hawaiian participants (β, -0.006; 95% CI, -0.011 to -0.001; P = .005), independent of NSES. Conclusions and Relevance In this study of a racially and ethnically diverse sample of 376 adults, low NSES was associated with a higher rate of biological aging measured by DunedinPACE score, yet individual-level factors such as educational level and physical activity affected this association, which varied by race and ethnicity. These findings support sociobehavioral interventions in addressing health inequities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alika K. Maunakea
- Department of Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Physiology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu
| | - Krit Phankitnirundorn
- Department of Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Physiology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu
| | - Rafael Peres
- Department of Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Physiology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu
| | - Christian Dye
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York
| | - Ruben Juarez
- Department of Economics, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu
| | - Catherine Walsh
- Epidemiology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu
| | - Connor Slavens
- Department of Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Physiology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu
| | - S. Lani Park
- Epidemiology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu
| | - Lynne R. Wilkens
- Epidemiology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu
| | - Loïc Le Marchand
- Epidemiology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu
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Zheng X, Cai R, Gao C, Ponatshego P, Gao L, Montano MA, Hu K, Mosepele M, Li P. Poor sleep quality is linked to increased frailty in middle-aged people living with HIV in Botswana. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4462187. [PMID: 38883786 PMCID: PMC11177973 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4462187/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
This work aims to evaluate associations between self-reported sleep health and frailty in Botswana, a sub-Saharan Africa setting. Fifty persons living with HIV (PLWH) on suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) and fifty HIV seronegative control participants are enrolled in Botswana. Sleep quality is scored subjectively as "good" or "poor" based on self-report. A frailty index (FI) is constructed based on thirty-three health deficits related to body mass index, waist circumference, physical activity, emotional status, and fatigue, and scored ranging between 0 (no deficit present) and 1 (all deficits present). Sleep quality between PLWH and controls is compared using logistic regression; linear regression is performed to compare the FI between them. Linear regressions are performed to examine the association between the FI and sleep quality stratified by HIV serostatus. Age, sex, and comorbidities are adjusted; when relevant, CD4 cell and ART duration are controlled. PLWH display 2.88 (95% CI: 1.22-6.79, p = 0.02) higher odds of having poor sleep than controls. Having poor sleep is associated with increased FI in PLWH but not in controls. Specifically, compared with PLWH who have good sleep, PLWH who report poor sleep have a > 1 standard deviation (p < 0.0001) increase in their FI score.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Lei Gao
- Massachusetts General Hospital
| | | | - Kun Hu
- Massachusetts General Hospital
| | | | - Peng Li
- Massachusetts General Hospital
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Forrester SN, Baek J, Hou L, Roger V, Kiefe CI. A Comparison of 5 Measures of Accelerated Biological Aging and Their Association With Incident Cardiovascular Disease: The CARDIA Study. J Am Heart Assoc 2024; 13:e032847. [PMID: 38606769 PMCID: PMC11262530 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.123.032847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accelerated biological aging is an increasingly popular way to track the acceleration of biology over time that may not be captured by calendar time. Biological aging has been linked to external and internal chronic stressors and has the potential to be used clinically to understand a person's personalized functioning and predict future disease. We compared the association of different measures of biological aging and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) overall and by race. METHODS AND RESULTS We used multiple informants models to compare the strength of clinical marker-derived age acceleration, 5 measures of epigenetic age acceleration (intrinsic and extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration, GrimAge acceleration, and PhenoAge acceleration), and 1 established clinical predictor of future CVD, Framingham 10-year risk score, with incident CVD over an 11-year period (2007-2018). Participants were 913 self-identified Black or White (41% and 59%, respectively) female or male (51% and 49%, respectively) individuals enrolled in the US-based CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) cohort study. The analytic baseline for this study was the 20-year follow-up examination (2005-2006; median age 45 years). We also included race-specific analysis. We found that all measures were modestly correlated with one another. However, clinical marker-derived age acceleration and Framingham 10-year risk score were more strongly associated with incident CVD than all the epigenetic measures. Clinical marker-derived age acceleration and Framingham 10-year risk score were not significantly different than one another in their association with incident CVD. CONCLUSIONS The type of accelerated aging measure should be taken into consideration when comparing their association with clinical outcomes. A multisystem clinical composite shows associations with incident CVD equally to a well-known clinical predictor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah N. Forrester
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Population and Quantitative Health SciencesUniversity of Massachusetts Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterMA
| | - Jonggyu Baek
- Division of Biostatistics and Health Services, Department of Population and Quantitative Health SciencesUniversity of Massachusetts Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterMA
| | - Lifang Hou
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIL
| | - Veronique Roger
- Laboratory of Heart Disease PhenomicsNational Heart, Lung, and Blood InstituteBethesdaMD
| | - Catarina I. Kiefe
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health SciencesUniversity of Massachusetts Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterMA
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Suglia SF, Clausing ES, Shelton RC, Conneely K, Prada-Ortega D, DeVivo I, Factor-Litvak P, Cirillo P, Baccarelli AA, Cohn B, Link BG. Cumulative Stress Across the Life Course and Biological Aging in Adulthood. Psychosom Med 2024; 86:137-145. [PMID: 38345302 PMCID: PMC11001534 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Psychosocial stressors have been linked with accelerated biological aging in adults; however, few studies have examined stressors across the life course in relation to biological aging. METHODS In 359 individuals (57% White, 34% Black) from the Child Health and Development Studies Disparities study, economic (income, education, financial strain), social (parent-child relations, caretaker responsibilities) and traumatic (death of a sibling or child, violence exposure) stressors were assessed at multiple time points (birth and ages 9, 15, and 50 years). Experiences of major discrimination were assessed at age 50. Life period stress scores were then assessed as childhood (birth-age 15 years) and adulthood (age 50 years). At age 50 years, participants provided blood samples, and DNA methylation was assessed with the EPIC BeadChip. Epigenetic age was estimated using six epigenetic clocks (Horvath, Hannum, Skin and Blood age, PhenoAge, GrimAge, Dunedin Pace of Aging). Age acceleration was determined using residuals from regressing chronologic age on each of the epigenetic age metrics. Telomere length was assessed using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction-based methods. RESULTS In linear regression models adjusted for race and gender, total life stress, and childhood and adult stress independently predicted accelerated aging based on GrimAge and faster pace of aging based on the DunedinPace. Associations were attenuated after adjusting for smoking status. In sex-stratified analyses, greater childhood stress was associated with accelerated epigenetic aging among women but not men. No associations were noted with telomere length. CONCLUSIONS We found that cumulative stressors across the life course were associated with accelerated epigenetic age, with differences by sex (e.g., accelerated among women). Further research of this association in large and diverse samples is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shakira F Suglia
- From the Department of Epidemiology (Suglia), Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia; School of Global Integrative Studies (Clausing) and Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior (Clausing), University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska; Department of Sociomedical Sciences (Shelton), Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York; Department of Human Genetics (Conneely, Baccarelli), School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia; Department of Environmental Health (Prada-Ortega), Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York; Department of Epidemiology (DeVivo), Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health; Channing Division of Network Medicine (DeVivo), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Epidemiology (Factor-Litvak), Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York; Child Health and Development Studies (Cirillo, Cohn), Public Health Institute, Berkeley; and Department of Sociology (Link), University of California Riverside, Riverside, California
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10
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Ding W, Xu Y, Kondracki AJ, Sun Y. Childhood adversity and accelerated reproductive events: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2024; 230:315-329.e31. [PMID: 37820985 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2023.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Accelerated female reproductive events represent the early onset of reproductive events involving puberty, menarche, pregnancy loss, first sexual intercourse, first birth, parity, and menopause. This study aimed to explore the association between childhood adversity and accelerated female reproductive events. DATA SOURCES PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase were systematically searched from September 22, 2022 to September 23, 2022. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Observational cohort, cross-sectional, and case-control studies in human populations were included if they reported the time of reproductive events for female individuals with experience of childhood adversity and were published in English. METHODS Two reviewers independently screened studies, obtained data, and assessed study quality, and conflicts were resolved by a third reviewer. Dichotomous outcomes were evaluated using meta-analysis, and pooled odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were generated using random-effects models. Moderation analysis and meta-regression were used to investigate heterogeneity. RESULTS In total, 21 cohort studies, 9 cross-sectional studies, and 3 case-control studies were identified. Overall, female individuals with childhood adversity were nearly 2 times more likely to report accelerated reproductive events than those with no adversity exposure (odds ratio, 1.91; 95% confidence interval, 1.33-2.76; I2=99.6%; P<.001). Moderation analysis indicated that effect sizes for the types of childhood adversity ranged from an odds ratio of 1.61 (95% confidence interval, 1.23-2.09) for low socioeconomic status to 2.13 (95% confidence interval, 1.14-3.99) for dysfunctional family dynamics. Among the 7 groups based on different reproductive events, including early onset of puberty, early menarche, early sexual initiation, teenage childbirth, preterm birth, pregnancy loss, and early menopause, early sexual initiation had a nonsignificant correlation with childhood adversity (odds ratio, 2.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.88-8.30; I2=99.9%; P<.001). Considerable heterogeneity (I2>75%) between estimates was observed for over half of the outcomes. Age, study type, and method of data collection could explain 35.9% of the variance. CONCLUSION The literature tentatively corroborates that female individuals who reported adverse events in childhood are more likely to experience accelerated reproductive events. This association is especially strong for exposure to abuse and dysfunctional family dynamics. However, the heterogeneity among studies was high, requiring caution in interpreting the findings and highlighting the need for further evaluation of the types and timing of childhood events that influence accelerated female reproductive events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqin Ding
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yuxiang Xu
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Anthony J Kondracki
- Department of Community Medicine, Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, GA
| | - Ying Sun
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle, Anhui Medical University, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
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11
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Ruiz-Narváez EA, Cozier Y, Zirpoli G, Rosenberg L, Palmer JR. Perceived Experiences of racism in Relation to Genome-Wide DNA Methylation and Epigenetic Aging in the Black Women's Health Study. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2024:10.1007/s40615-024-01915-3. [PMID: 38324238 PMCID: PMC11303595 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-024-01915-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND African American women have a disproportionate burden of disease compared to US non-Hispanic white women. Exposure to psychosocial stressors may contribute to these health disparities. Racial discrimination, a major stressor for African American women, could affect health through epigenetic mechanisms. METHODS We conducted an epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) to examine the association of interpersonal racism (in daily life and in institutional settings) with DNA methylation in blood in 384 participants of the Black Women's Health Study (BWHS). We also evaluated whether a greater number of perceived experiences of racism was associated with epigenetic aging as measured using different methylation clocks. Models were adjusted for chronological age, body mass index, years of education, neighborhood SES, geographic region of residence, alcohol drinking, smoking, and technical covariates. RESULTS Higher scores of racism in daily life were associated with higher methylation levels at the cg04494873 site in chromosome 5 (β = 0.64%; 95% CI = 0.41%, 0.87%; P = 6.35E-08). We also replicated one CpG site, cg03317714, which was inversely associated with racial discrimination in a previous EWAS among African American women. In the BWHS, higher scores of racism in daily life were associated with lower methylation levels at that CpG site (β = -0.94%; 95% CI = -1.37%, -0.51%; P = 2.2E-05). Higher racism scores were associated with accelerated epigenetic aging in more than one methylation clock. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to discriminatory events may affect the epigenome and accelerate biological aging, which may explain in part the earlier onset of disease in African American women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward A Ruiz-Narváez
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, 1860 SPH I, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| | - Yvette Cozier
- Slone Epidemiology Center at, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gary Zirpoli
- Slone Epidemiology Center at, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lynn Rosenberg
- Slone Epidemiology Center at, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Julie R Palmer
- Slone Epidemiology Center at, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
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12
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Lam PH, Chen E, Jiang T, Moon H, Passarelli V, Kim J, Miller GE. Responsive parental support buffers the link between chronic stress and cardiometabolic risk among adolescents. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 116:114-123. [PMID: 38052410 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.11.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Youth exposed to chronic stress exhibit increased cardiometabolic risk which parental social support may attenuate. Notably, theories emphasize that support should be delivered responsively for it to exert buffering effects, but this has not been thoroughly tested empirically. This study examined whether timing of support is an important but unrecognized element of responsiveness during adolescence in buffering the link between chronic stress and cardiometabolic risk. Participants were 242 adolescents aged 15 years (63 % female, 38 % Black). Adolescents completed assessments of chronic stress (Life Stress Interview), and trained personnel collected anthropometric measures and blood samples to assess cardiometabolic risk (reflected in low-grade inflammation and metabolic syndrome). Adolescents also completed an eight-day diary assessment to report daily stressor exposure and parental support. Using the diary data, responsiveness of parental support was operationalized as the within-individual difference in parental support received on stressor (vs. non-stressor) days, such that increased parental support on stressor days reflected more timely support. Results suggest that responsive parental support buffered the link between chronic stress and cardiovascular risk. Specifically, chronic stress was associated with greater risk only when parental support was not temporally aligned with stress exposure, but this association was not observed among adolescents who received timely parental support. These findings shed light on why parental support may not always exert buffering effects during adolescence, highlighting the importance of taking a developmental approach to understanding protective effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phoebe H Lam
- Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Edith Chen
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Tao Jiang
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Hee Moon
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | | | - Jungwon Kim
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Gregory E Miller
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
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13
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Ortiz R, Kershaw KN, Zhao S, Kline D, Brock G, Jaffee S, Golden SH, Ogedegbe G, Carroll J, Seeman TE, Joseph JJ. Evidence for the Association Between Adverse Childhood Family Environment, Child Abuse, and Caregiver Warmth and Cardiovascular Health Across the Lifespan: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2024; 17:e009794. [PMID: 38258561 DOI: 10.1161/circoutcomes.122.009794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to quantify the association between childhood family environment and longitudinal cardiovascular health (CVH) in adult CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) Study participants. We further investigated whether the association differs by adult income. METHODS We applied the CVH framework from the American Heart Association including metrics for smoking, cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose, body mass index, physical activity, and diet. CVH scores (range, 0-14) were calculated at years 0, 7, and 20 of the study. Risky Family environment (range, 7-28) was assessed at year 15 retrospectively, for childhood experiences of abuse, caregiver warmth, and family or household challenges. Complete case ordinal logistic regression and mixed models associated risky family (exposure) with CVH (outcome), adjusting for age, sex, race, and alcohol use. RESULTS The sample (n=2074) had a mean age of 25.3 (±3.5) years and 56% females at baseline. The median risky family was 10 with ideal CVH (≥12) met by 288 individuals at baseline (28.4%) and 165 (16.3%) at year 20. Longitudinally, for every 1-unit greater risky family, the odds of attaining high CVH (≥10) decreased by 3.6% (OR, 0.9645 [95% CI, 0.94-0.98]). Each unit greater child abuse and caregiver warmth score corresponded to 12.8% lower and 11.7% higher odds of ideal CVH (≥10), respectively (OR, 0.872 [95% CI, 0.77-0.99]; OR, 1.1165 [95% CI, 1.01-1.24]), across all 20 years of follow-up. Stratified analyses by income in adulthood demonstrated associations between risky family environment and CVH remained significant for those of the highest adult income (>$74k), but not the lowest (<$35k). CONCLUSIONS Although risky family environmental factors in childhood increase the odds of poor longitudinal adult CVH, caregiver warmth may increase the odds of CVH, and socioeconomic attainment in adulthood may contextualize the level of risk. Toward a paradigm of primordial prevention of cardiovascular disease, childhood exposures and economic opportunity may play a crucial role in CVH across the life course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Ortiz
- Departments of Pediatrics and Population Health, New York University, Grossman School of Medicine (R.O.)
- Institute for Excellence in Health Equity, New York University Langone Health (R.O., G.O.)
| | - Kiarri N Kershaw
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL (K.N.K.)
| | - Songzhu Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus (S.Z., G.B.)
| | - David Kline
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC (D.K.)
| | - Guy Brock
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus (S.Z., G.B.)
| | - Sara Jaffee
- Department of Psychology, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (S.J.)
| | - Sherita H Golden
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (S.H.G.)
| | - Gbenga Ogedegbe
- Institute for Excellence in Health Equity, New York University Langone Health (R.O., G.O.)
- Department of Medicine, New York University, Grossman School of Medicine (G.O.)
| | - Judith Carroll
- The University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine, Jane and Terri Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences (J.C.)
| | - Teresa E Seeman
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles (T.E.S.)
| | - Joshua J Joseph
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus (J.J.J.)
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14
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Murray SL, Pascuzzi GS. Pursuing Safety in Social Connection: A Flexibly Fluid Perspective on Risk Regulation in Relationships. Annu Rev Psychol 2024; 75:379-404. [PMID: 37585668 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-psych-011123-024815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
People are fundamentally motivated to be included in social connections that feel safe, connections where they are consistently cared for and protected, not hurt or exploited. Romantic relationships have long played a crucial role in satisfying this fundamental need. This article reconceptualizes the risk-regulation model to argue that people draw on experiences from inside and outside their romantic relationships to satisfy their fundamental need to feel safe depending on others. We first review the direct relational cues (i.e., a partner's affectionate touch, responsive versus unresponsive behavior, and relative power) and indirect cues (i.e., bodily sensations, collective value in the eyes of others, and living conditions) that signal the current safety of social connection and motivate people to connect to others or protect themselves against them. We then review how people's chronic capacity to trust in others controls their sensitivity and reactivity to the safety cues. The article concludes with future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra L Murray
- Department of Psychology, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA; ,
| | - Gabriela S Pascuzzi
- Department of Psychology, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA; ,
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15
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Hamlat EJ, Neilands TB, Laraia B, Zhang J, Lu AT, Lin J, Horvath S, Epel ES. Early life adversity predicts an accelerated cellular aging phenotype through early timing of puberty. Psychol Med 2023; 53:7720-7728. [PMID: 37325994 PMCID: PMC11131158 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291723001629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The current study examined if early adversity was associated with accelerated biological aging, and if effects were mediated by the timing of puberty. METHODS In early mid-life, 187 Black and 198 White (Mage = 39.4, s.d.age = 1.2) women reported on early abuse and age at first menstruation (menarche). Women provided saliva and blood to assess epigenetic aging, telomere length, and C-reactive protein. Using structural equation modeling, we created a latent variable of biological aging using epigenetic aging, telomere length, and C-reactive protein as indicators, and a latent variable of early abuse using indicators of abuse/threat events before age 13, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. We estimated the indirect effects of early abuse and of race on accelerated aging through age at menarche. Race was used as a proxy for adversity in the form of systemic racism. RESULTS There was an indirect effect of early adversity on accelerated aging through age at menarche (b = 0.19, 95% CI 0.03-0.44), in that women who experienced more adversity were younger at menarche, which was associated with greater accelerated aging. There was also an indirect effect of race on accelerated aging through age at menarche (b = 0.25, 95% CI 0.04-0.52), in that Black women were younger at menarche, which led to greater accelerated aging. CONCLUSIONS Early abuse and being Black in the USA may both induce a phenotype of accelerated aging. Early adversity may begin to accelerate aging during childhood, in the form of early pubertal timing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elissa J. Hamlat
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Torsten B. Neilands
- Division of Prevention Science | Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Barbara Laraia
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Joshua Zhang
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ake T. Lu
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jue Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Steve Horvath
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Altos Labs, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Elissa S. Epel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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16
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McKenna BG, Choi J, Brennan PA, K Knight A, Smith AK, R Pilkay S, Corwin EJ, Dunlop AL. Maternal Adversity and Epigenetic Age Acceleration Predict Heightened Emotional Reactivity in Offspring: Implications for Intergenerational Transmission of Risk. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2023; 51:1753-1767. [PMID: 36227464 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-022-00981-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Black American women are disproportionately exposed to adversities that may have an intergenerational impact on mental health. The present study examined whether maternal exposure to adversity and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA; a biomarker of stress exposure) predicts the socioemotional health of her offspring. During pregnancy, 180 Black American women self-reported experiences of childhood adversity and marginalization-related adversity (i.e., racial discrimination and gendered racial stress) and provided a blood sample for epigenetic assessment. At a three-year follow-up visit, women reported their offspring's emotional reactivity (an early indicator of psychopathology) via the CBCL/1.5-5. After adjusting for maternal education and offspring sex, results indicated that greater maternal experiences of childhood trauma (β = 0.21, SE(β) = 0.01; p = 0.01) and racial discrimination (β = 0.14, SE(β) = 0.07; p = 0.049) predicted greater offspring emotional reactivity, as did maternal EAA (β = 0.17, SE(β) = 0.09, p = 0.046). Our findings suggest that maternal EAA could serve as an early biomarker for intergenerational risk conferred by maternal adversity, and that 'maternal adversity' must be defined more broadly to include social marginalization, particularly for Black Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke G McKenna
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Joanne Choi
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | | | - Anna K Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Stefanie R Pilkay
- School of Social Work, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | | | - Anne L Dunlop
- School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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17
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Schmitz LL, Duffie E, Zhao W, Ratliff SM, Ding J, Liu Y, Merkin SS, Smith JA, Seeman T. Associations of Early-Life Adversity With Later-Life Epigenetic Aging Profiles in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Am J Epidemiol 2023; 192:1991-2005. [PMID: 37579321 PMCID: PMC10988110 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwad172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic biomarkers of accelerated aging have been widely used to predict disease risk and may enhance our understanding of biological mechanisms between early-life adversity and disparities in aging. With respect to childhood adversity, most studies have used parental education or childhood disadvantage and/or have not examined the role played by socioemotional or physical abuse and trauma in epigenetic profiles at older ages. This study leveraged data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) on experiences of threat and deprivation in participants' early lives (i.e., before the age of 18 years) to examine whether exposure to specific dimensions of early-life adversity is associated with epigenetic profiles at older ages that are indicative of accelerated biological aging. The sample included 842 MESA respondents with DNA methylation data collected between 2010 and 2012 who answered questions on early-life adversities in a 2018-2019 telephone follow-up. We found that experiences of deprivation, but not threat, were associated with later-life GrimAge epigenetic aging signatures that were developed to predict mortality risk. Results indicated that smoking behavior partially mediates this association, which suggests that lifestyle behaviors may act as downstream mechanisms between parental deprivation in early life and accelerated epigenetic aging in later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren L Schmitz
- Correspondence to Dr. Lauren L. Schmitz, Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1225 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706 (e-mail: )
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18
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Kogan SM, Kwon E, Brody GH, Azarmehr R, Reck AJ, Anderson T, Sperr M. Family-Centered Prevention to Reduce Discrimination-Related Depressive Symptoms Among Black Adolescents: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2340567. [PMID: 37910105 PMCID: PMC10620615 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.40567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Racial discrimination undermines the mental health of Black adolescents. Preventive interventions that can attenuate the effects of exposure to racial discrimination are needed. Objective To investigate whether participation in the Strong African American Families (SAAF) program moderates Black adolescents' depressive symptoms associated with experience of racial discrimination. Design, Setting, and Participants This secondary analysis used data from a community-based randomized clinical trial of SAAF (SAAF vs no treatment control). Participants were followed up at 10, 22, and 34 months after the baseline assessment. Assessment staff were blind to participant condition. Participants in this trial lived in 7 rural counties in Georgia. SAAF was delivered at local community centers. Eligible families had a child aged 11 to 12 years who self-identified as African American or Black. The joint influence of random assignment to SAAF and exposure to racial discrimination was investigated. Data were analyzed from September 2022 to March 2023. Intervention SAAF is a 7-session (14 hours) family skills training intervention that occurs over 7 weeks. Small groups of caregivers and their adolescents participate in a structured curriculum targeting effective parenting behavior, adolescent self-regulation, and Black pride. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcome was adolescent-reported depressive symptoms, assessed at 34 months via the 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children. Results Of 825 families screened randomly from public school lists, 472 adolescents (mean [SD] age, 11.6 years; 240 [50.8%] female) were enrolled and randomized to SAAF (252 participants) or a no treatment control (220 participants). Exposure to racial discrimination at age 13 years was associated with increased depressive symptoms at age 14 years (β = 0.23; 95% CI, 0.13 to 0.34; P < .001). Interaction analyses indicated that the experimental condition significantly moderated the association of racial discrimination with depressive symptoms: (β = -0.27; 95% CI, -0.47 to -0.08; P = .005). Probing the interaction with simple slopes at ±SD revealed that for the control group, racial discrimination was significantly associated with depressive symptoms (β = 0.39; 95% CI, 0.23 to 0.54; P < .001), while for the SAAF group, there was no association between racial discrimination and depressive symptoms (β = 0.12; P = .09). Conclusions and Relevance This randomized clinical trial found that the SAAF intervention reduced the incidence of racism-associated mental health symptoms among Black adolescents. SAAF is recommended for dissemination to health care practitioners working with rural Black adolescents. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03590132.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M. Kogan
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens
| | - Elizabeth Kwon
- Department of Public Health, Baylor University, Waco, Texas
| | - Gene H. Brody
- Center for Family Research, University of Georgia, Athens
| | - Rabeeh Azarmehr
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens
| | - Ava J. Reck
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens
| | - Tracy Anderson
- Center for Family Research, University of Georgia, Athens
| | - Megan Sperr
- Center for Family Research, University of Georgia, Athens
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Musci RJ, Raghunathan RS, Johnson SB, Klein L, Ladd-Acosta C, Ansah R, Hassoun R, Voegtline KM. Using Epigenetic Clocks to Characterize Biological Aging in Studies of Children and Childhood Exposures: a Systematic Review. PREVENTION SCIENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR PREVENTION RESEARCH 2023; 24:1398-1423. [PMID: 37477807 PMCID: PMC10964791 DOI: 10.1007/s11121-023-01576-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Biological age, measured via epigenetic clocks, offers a unique and useful tool for prevention scientists to explore the short- and long-term implications of age deviations for health, development, and behavior. The use of epigenetic clocks in pediatric research is rapidly increasing, and there is a need to review the landscape of this work to understand the utility of these clocks for prevention scientists. We summarize the current state of the literature on the use of specific epigenetic clocks in childhood. Using systematic review methods, we identified studies published through February 2023 that used one of three epigenetic clocks as a measure of biological aging. These epigenetic clocks could either be used as a predictor of health outcomes or as a health outcome of interest. The database search identified 982 records, 908 of which were included in a title and abstract review. After full-text screening, 68 studies were eligible for inclusion. While findings were somewhat mixed, a majority of included studies found significant associations between the epigenetic clock used and the health outcome of interest or between an exposure and the epigenetic clock used. From these results, we propose the use of epigenetic clocks as a tool to understand how exposures impact biologic aging pathways and development in early life, as well as to monitor the effectiveness of preventive interventions that aim to reduce exposure and associated adverse health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashelle J Musci
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | | | - Sara B Johnson
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
| | - Lauren Klein
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Christine Ladd-Acosta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
| | - Rosemary Ansah
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Ronda Hassoun
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Kristin M Voegtline
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
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20
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Vidovič E, Pelikan S, Atanasova M, Kouter K, Pileckyte I, Oblak A, Novak Šarotar B, Videtič Paska A, Bon J. DNA Methylation Patterns in Relation to Acute Severity and Duration of Anxiety and Depression. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:7286-7303. [PMID: 37754245 PMCID: PMC10527760 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45090461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Depression and anxiety are common mental disorders that often occur together. Stress is an important risk factor for both disorders, affecting pathophysiological processes through epigenetic changes that mediate gene-environment interactions. In this study, we explored two proposed models about the dynamic nature of DNA methylation in anxiety and depression: a stable change, in which DNA methylation accumulates over time as a function of the duration of clinical symptoms of anxiety and depression, or a flexible change, in which DNA methylation correlates with the acute severity of clinical symptoms. Symptom severity was assessed using clinical questionnaires for anxiety and depression (BDI-II, IDS-C, and HAM-A), and the current episode and the total lifetime symptom duration was obtained from patients' medical records. Peripheral blood DNA methylation levels were determined for the BDNF, COMT, and SLC6A4 genes. We found a significant negative correlation between COMT_1 amplicon methylation and acute symptom scores, with BDI-II (R(22) = 0.190, p = 0.033), IDS-C (R(22) = 0.199, p = 0.029), and HAM-A (R(22) = 0.231, p = 0.018) all showing a similar degree of correlation. Our results suggest that DNA methylation follows flexible dynamics, with methylation levels closely associated with acute clinical presentation rather than with the duration of anxiety and depression. These results provide important insights into the dynamic nature of DNA methylation in anxiety and affective disorders and contribute to our understanding of the complex interplay between stress, epigenetics, and individual phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Vidovič
- University Psychiatric Clinic Ljubljana, 1260 Ljubljana, Slovenia (J.B.)
| | - Sebastian Pelikan
- University Psychiatric Clinic Ljubljana, 1260 Ljubljana, Slovenia (J.B.)
| | - Marija Atanasova
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Katarina Kouter
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Indre Pileckyte
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Pompeu Fabra University, 08018 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aleš Oblak
- University Psychiatric Clinic Ljubljana, 1260 Ljubljana, Slovenia (J.B.)
| | - Brigita Novak Šarotar
- University Psychiatric Clinic Ljubljana, 1260 Ljubljana, Slovenia (J.B.)
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alja Videtič Paska
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jurij Bon
- University Psychiatric Clinic Ljubljana, 1260 Ljubljana, Slovenia (J.B.)
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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21
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Latimore AD, Salisbury-Afshar E, Duff N, Freiling E, Kellett B, Sullenger RD, Salman A. Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Prevention of Substance Use Disorders through Socioecological Strategies. NAM Perspect 2023; 2023:202309b. [PMID: 38784638 PMCID: PMC11114594 DOI: 10.31478/202309b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Aisha Salman
- National Academy of Medicine; and the Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Working Group of the National Academy of Medicine's Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic
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22
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Rentscher KE, Bethea TN, Zhai W, Small BJ, Zhou X, Ahles TA, Ahn J, Breen EC, Cohen HJ, Extermann M, Graham DM, Jim HS, McDonald BC, Nakamura ZM, Patel SK, Root JC, Saykin AJ, Van Dyk K, Mandelblatt JS, Carroll JE. Epigenetic aging in older breast cancer survivors and noncancer controls: preliminary findings from the Thinking and Living with Cancer Study. Cancer 2023; 129:2741-2753. [PMID: 37259669 PMCID: PMC10659047 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.34818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer and its treatments may accelerate aging in survivors; however, research has not examined epigenetic markers of aging in longer term breast cancer survivors. This study examined whether older breast cancer survivors showed greater epigenetic aging than noncancer controls and whether epigenetic aging related to functional outcomes. METHODS Nonmetastatic breast cancer survivors (n = 89) enrolled prior to systemic therapy and frequency-matched controls (n = 101) ages 62 to 84 years provided two blood samples to derive epigenetic aging measures (Horvath, Extrinsic Epigenetic Age [EEA], PhenoAge, GrimAge, Dunedin Pace of Aging) and completed cognitive (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function) and physical (Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-12) function assessments at approximately 24 to 36 and 60 months after enrollment. Mixed-effects models tested survivor-control differences in epigenetic aging, adjusting for age and comorbidities; models for functional outcomes also adjusted for racial group, site, and cognitive reserve. RESULTS Survivors were 1.04 to 2.22 years biologically older than controls on Horvath, EEA, GrimAge, and DunedinPACE measures (p = .001-.04) at approximately 24 to 36 months after enrollment. Survivors exposed to chemotherapy were 1.97 to 2.71 years older (p = .001-.04), and among this group, an older EEA related to worse self-reported cognition (p = .047) relative to controls. An older epigenetic age related to worse physical function in all women (p < .001-.01). Survivors and controls showed similar epigenetic aging over time, but Black survivors showed accelerated aging over time relative to non-Hispanic White survivors. CONCLUSION Older breast cancer survivors, particularly those exposed to chemotherapy, showed greater epigenetic aging than controls that may relate to worse outcomes. If replicated, measurement of biological aging could complement geriatric assessments to guide cancer care for older women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly E. Rentscher
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee WI
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Traci N. Bethea
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
| | - Wanting Zhai
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
| | - Brent J. Small
- School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
| | - Xingtao Zhou
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
| | - Tim A. Ahles
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Jaeil Ahn
- Department of Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, and Biomathematics, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
| | - Elizabeth C. Breen
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Harvey Jay Cohen
- Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | | | - Deena M.A. Graham
- John Theurer Cancer Center, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ
| | | | - Brenna C. McDonald
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine and Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN
| | - Zev M. Nakamura
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | | | - James C. Root
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Andrew J. Saykin
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine and Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN
| | - Kathleen Van Dyk
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | | | - Judith E. Carroll
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
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23
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Hamilton-Moseley KR, Phan L, Hacker KJ, Jewett BJ, Ajith AU, Chen-Sankey J, Choi K. Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Vicarious and Direct COVID-19-Related Discrimination and Vigilance. Am J Prev Med 2023; 65:439-447. [PMID: 36963472 PMCID: PMC10033145 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2023.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The high visibility of COVID-19-related discrimination underscores the importance of understanding the psychological harms associated with vicariously and directly experiencing such incidents. In this observational study, both vicariously and directly experienced COVID-19-related discrimination and their association with heightened concerns about discrimination and vigilance were examined in U.S. adults who use commercial tobacco. METHODS Data were from a nationally representative sample of adults who currently or formerly used commercial tobacco products (N=1,700; mean age=43 years) from an online survey panel administered in January-February 2021 (analyzed in 2021-2022). Participants reported vicariously and directly experienced COVID-19-related discrimination, concern about experiencing such discrimination, and heightened vigilance. Weighted multivariable linear and logistic regression models were used to examine the associations among these variables. RESULTS Overall, 69% of individuals reported exposure to vicarious COVID-19-related discrimination, and 22% reported directly experiencing COVID-19-related discrimination. Asian, Hispanic, and Black individuals reported higher levels of concern and vigilance than White individuals (p<0.05). Vicariously and directly experienced COVID-19-related discrimination was independently associated with concern about experiencing COVID-19-related discrimination in the entire sample and within each racial and ethnic group (p<0.05). This concern was associated with increased vigilance (p<0.05) and was stronger in those exposed to vicarious COVID-19-related discrimination than in those who were not (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS COVID-19-related discrimination may undermine the psychological well-being of those who are exposed to it vicariously as well as those who experience it directly and may also make individuals feel vulnerable and unsafe. Interventions to prevent and reduce the impact of COVID-19-related discrimination may have wide-reaching societal benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen R Hamilton-Moseley
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Bethesda, Maryland.
| | - Lilianna Phan
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Kiana J Hacker
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Bambi J Jewett
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Aniruddh U Ajith
- School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Julia Chen-Sankey
- Center for Tobacco Studies, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, New Brunswick, New Jersey; Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy, School of Public Health, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Kelvin Choi
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Bethesda, Maryland
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24
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Holloway TD, Harvanek ZM, Xu K, Gordon DM, Sinha R. Greater stress and trauma mediate race-related differences in epigenetic age between Black and White young adults in a community sample. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 26:100557. [PMID: 37501940 PMCID: PMC10369475 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Black Americans suffer lower life expectancy and show signs of accelerated aging compared to other Americans. While previous studies observe these differences in children and populations with chronic illness, whether these pathologic processes exist or how these pathologic processes progress has yet to be explored prior to the onset of significant chronic illness, within a young adult population. Therefore, we investigated race-related differences in epigenetic age in a cross-sectional sample of young putatively healthy adults and assessed whether lifetime stress and/or trauma mediate those differences. Biological and psychological data were collected from self-reported healthy adult volunteers within the local New Haven area (399 volunteers, 19.8% Black, mean age: 29.28). Stress and trauma data was collected using the Cumulative Adversity Inventory (CAI) interview, which assessed specific types of stressors, including major life events, traumatic events, work, financial, relationship and chronic stressors cumulatively over time. GrimAge Acceleration (GAA), determined from whole blood collected from participants, measured epigenetic age. In order to understand the impact of stress and trauma on GAA, exploratory mediation analyses were then used. We found cumulative stressors across all types of events (mean difference of 6.9 p = 2.14e-4) and GAA (β = 2.29 years [1.57-3.01, p = 9.70e-10] for race, partial η2 = 0.091, model adjusted R2 = 0.242) were significantly greater in Black compared to White participants. Critically, CAI total score (proportion mediated: 0.185 [0.073-0.34, p = 6e-4]) significantly mediated the relationship between race and GAA. Further analysis attributed this difference to more traumatic events, particularly assaultive traumas and death of loved ones. Our results suggest that, prior to development of significant chronic disease, Black individuals have increased epigenetic age compared to White participants and that increased cumulative stress and traumatic events may contribute significantly to this epigenetic aging difference.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zachary M. Harvanek
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Stress Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ke Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Connecticut Veteran Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Rajita Sinha
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Stress Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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25
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Sweeting JA, Akinyemi AA, Holman EA. Parental Preconception Adversity and Offspring Health in African Americans: A Systematic Review of Intergenerational Studies. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2023; 24:1677-1692. [PMID: 35240883 DOI: 10.1177/15248380221074320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Background: This systematic review explores the empirical literature addressing the association between parental preconception adversity and offspring physical health in African-American families. Method: We conducted a literature search in PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Scopus through June 2021. Articles were included if they: reported data about at least two generations of African-American participants from the same family; measured parental preconception adversity at the individual level; measured at least one offspring physical health outcome; and examined associations between parental adversity and child health. Results: We identified 701 unique articles; thirty-eight articles representing 30 independent studies met inclusion criteria. Twenty-five studies (83%) reported that parental preconception adversity was associated with child health; six studies (20%) reported that parental preconception adversity was not associated with at least one offspring outcome; several studies reported both. Only six studies (20%) reported an association specific to African Americans. Conclusion: Empirical evidence linking parental preconception adversity with offspring physical health in African Americans is limited and mixed. In the current literature, very few studies report evidence addressing intergenerational associations between parental preconception adversity and offspring physical health in the African-American population, specifically, and even fewer investigate forms of parental preconception adversity that have been shown to disproportionately affect African Americans (e.g., racism). To better understand root causes of racial health disparities, more rigorous systematic research is needed to address how intergenerational transmission of historical and ongoing race-based trauma may impact offspring health among African Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josiah A Sweeting
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Adebisi A Akinyemi
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Ellen Alison Holman
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
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26
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Huang CX, Halfon N, Sastry N, Chung PJ, Schickedanz A. Positive Childhood Experiences and Adult Health Outcomes. Pediatrics 2023; 152:e2022060951. [PMID: 37337829 PMCID: PMC10312234 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2022-060951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can drive poor adult mental and physical health, but the impact of early life protective factors should not be overlooked. Positive childhood experiences (PCEs) measures quantify protective factors, but evidence is lacking on their link to health conditions independent of ACEs in nationally representative studies. This study examines associations between composite PCE score and adult health, adjusting for ACEs. METHODS The most recent 2017 wave of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, a nationally representative study and its 2014 Childhood Retrospective Circumstances supplement (n = 7496) collected adult health outcomes, PCEs, and ACEs. Multivariable logistic regression assessed associations between PCE score and adult self-rated health or condition diagnosis, with and without ACEs adjustment. Cox proportional hazards models examined relationships between PCEs, ACEs, and annual risk of diagnosis. RESULTS Adults with 5 to 6 PCEs had 75% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.58-0.93) of the risk of fair/poor overall health and 74% of the risk of any psychiatric diagnosis (CI, 0.59-0.89) compared with those with 0 to 2 PCEs, independent of ACEs. In survival analysis models accounting for PCEs and ACEs, reporting 5 to 6 PCEs was associated with a 16% lower annual hazard of developing any adult psychiatric or physical condition (hazard ratio, 0.84; CI, 0.75-0.94); reporting 3+ ACEs was associated with a 42% higher annual hazard (CI, 1.27-1.59). CONCLUSIONS PCEs were independently associated with lower risks of fair or poor adult health, adult mental health problems, and developing any physical or mental health condition at any given age after adjusting for ACEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cher X. Huang
- David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Department of Internal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Neal Halfon
- Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles,California
- Department of Health Policy & Management, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California
| | - Narayan Sastry
- Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Paul J. Chung
- Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles,California
- Department of Health Policy & Management, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California
- Department of Health Systems Science, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, Pasadena, California
| | - Adam Schickedanz
- Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles,California
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27
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Allen JP, Danoff JS, Costello MA, Loeb EL, Davis AA, Hunt GL, Gregory SG, Giamberardino SN, Connelly JJ. Adolescent peer struggles predict accelerated epigenetic aging in midlife. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:912-925. [PMID: 35379374 PMCID: PMC9532470 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579422000153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
This study examined struggles to establish autonomy and relatedness with peers in adolescence and early adulthood as predictors of advanced epigenetic aging assessed at age 30. Participants (N = 154; 67 male and 87 female) were observed repeatedly, along with close friends and romantic partners, from ages 13 through 29. Observed difficulty establishing close friendships characterized by mutual autonomy and relatedness from ages 13 to 18, an interview-assessed attachment state of mind lacking autonomy and valuing of attachment at 24, and self-reported difficulties in social integration across adolescence and adulthood were all linked to greater epigenetic age at 30, after accounting for chronological age, gender, race, and income. Analyses assessing the unique and combined effects of these factors, along with lifetime history of cigarette smoking, indicated that each of these factors, except for adult social integration, contributed uniquely to explaining epigenetic age acceleration. Results are interpreted as evidence that the adolescent preoccupation with peer relationships may be highly functional given the relevance of such relationships to long-term physical outcomes.
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28
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Sumner JA, Gao X, Gambazza S, Dye CK, Colich NL, Baccarelli AA, Uddin M, McLaughlin KA. Stressful life events and accelerated biological aging over time in youths. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 151:106058. [PMID: 36827906 PMCID: PMC10364461 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2023]
Abstract
Experiencing adversity in childhood and adolescence, including stressful life events (SLEs), may accelerate the pace of development, leading to adverse mental and physical health. However, most research on adverse early experiences and biological aging (BA) in youths relies on cross-sectional designs. In 171 youths followed for approximately 2 years, we examined if SLEs over follow-up predicted rate of change in two BA metrics: epigenetic age and Tanner stage. We also investigated if rate of change in BA was associated with changes in depressive symptoms over time. Youths aged 8-16 years at baseline self-reported Tanner stage and depressive symptoms at baseline and follow-up and provided saliva samples for DNA at both assessments. Horvath epigenetic age estimates were derived from DNA methylation data measured with the Illumina EPIC array. At follow-up, contextual threat interviews were administered to youths and caregivers to assess youths' experiences of past-year SLEs. Interviews were objectively coded by an independent rating team to generate a SLE impact score, reflecting the severity of all SLEs occurring over the prior year. Rate of change in BA metrics was operationalized as change in epigenetic age or Tanner stage as a function of time between assessments. Higher objective SLE impact scores over follow-up were related to a greater rate of change in epigenetic age (β = 0.21, p = .043). Additionally, among youths with lower-but not higher-Tanner stage at baseline, there was a positive association of SLE impact scores with rate of change in Tanner stage (Baseline Tanner Stage × SLE Impact Score interaction: β = - 0.21, p = .011). A greater rate of change in epigenetic age was also associated with higher depressive symptom levels at follow-up, adjusting for baseline symptoms (β = 0.15, p = .043). Associations with epigenetic age were similar, although slightly attenuated, when adjusting for epithelial (buccal) cell proportions. Whereas much research in youths has focused on severe experiences of early adversity, we demonstrate that more commonly experienced SLEs during adolescence may also contribute to accelerated BA. Further research is needed to understand the long-term consequences of changes in BA metrics for health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Sumner
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Psychology Building 1285, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Xu Gao
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, Peking University, Xueyuan Rd. 38, Haidian District, Beijing, China; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W. 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Simone Gambazza
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, via Celoria 22, 20133 Milan, Italy; Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Healthcare Professions Department, via Francesco Sforza, 35, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Christian K Dye
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W. 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Natalie L Colich
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, William James Hall, 1270, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Andrea A Baccarelli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W. 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Monica Uddin
- Genomics Program, University of South Florida, College of Public Health, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Katie A McLaughlin
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, William James Hall, 1270, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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29
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Wu Y, Montrose L, Kochmanski JK, Dolinoy DC, Téllez-Rojo MM, Cantoral A, Mercado-García A, Peterson KE, Goodrich JM. Is adiposity related to repeat measures of blood leukocyte DNA methylation across childhood and adolescence? Clin Obes 2023; 13:e12566. [PMID: 36416295 PMCID: PMC9991944 DOI: 10.1111/cob.12566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation may influence gene expression and phenotypes, including obesity in childhood. The directionality of this relationship is nevertheless unclear, and some evidence suggests that adiposity modifies the epigenome, rather than the other way around. In this pilot study, we utilize data from the Early Life Exposures in Mexico to Environmental Toxicants (ELEMENT) study to examine whether measures of adiposity in childhood and early adolescence are associated with repeated measures of blood leukocyte DNA methylation at LINE-1 repetitive elements and two genes implicated in growth and adiposity: H19 and HSD11B2. Longitudinal epigenetic data were generated from cord blood and blood from follow-up visits in early and late adolescence. We assessed interactions between age and measures of body mass index (BMI) at 5 years of age and weight, BMI and waist circumference in early adolescence to infer whether adiposity deflects age-related DNA methylation changes throughout childhood. Applying linear mixed-effects models, we found an inverse association between measures of childhood BMI (kg/m2 ) and early-teen weight (kg) with repeat measures of H19 DNA methylation. We did not observe any statistically significant associations (p-value <.05) between any anthropometric measures and DNA methylation at LINE-1 or HSD11B2. We did not demonstrate statistically significant evidence in support of deflection of age-related DNA methylation trajectories by adiposity-related measures (age by adiposity interaction term). Given the pilot nature of this study, the relationships between repeat measures of DNA methylation and adiposity-measures across childhood merit further exploration in larger study populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Wu
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, CN
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Luke Montrose
- Department of Community and Environmental Health, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA
| | - Joseph K. Kochmanski
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Dana C. Dolinoy
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Martha M Téllez-Rojo
- Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, MX
| | | | - Adriana Mercado-García
- Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, MX
| | - Karen E. Peterson
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jaclyn M. Goodrich
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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30
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Lord BD, Harris AR, Ambs S. The impact of social and environmental factors on cancer biology in Black Americans. Cancer Causes Control 2023; 34:191-203. [PMID: 36562901 DOI: 10.1007/s10552-022-01664-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with early onset of chronic diseases and reduced life expectancy. The involvement of neighborhood-level factors in defining cancer risk and outcomes for marginalized communities has been an active area of research for decades. Yet, the biological processes that underlie the impact of SES on chronic health conditions, such as cancer, remain poorly understood. To date, limited studies have shown that chronic life stress is more prevalent in low SES communities and can affect important molecular processes implicated in tumor biology such as DNA methylation, inflammation, and immune response. Further efforts to elucidate how neighborhood-level factors function physiologically to worsen cancer outcomes for disadvantaged communities are underway. This review provides an overview of the current literature on how socioenvironmental factors within neighborhoods contribute to more aggressive tumor biology, specifically in Black U.S. women and men, including the impact of environmental pollutants, neighborhood deprivation, social isolation, structural racism, and discrimination. We also summarize commonly used methods to measure deprivation, discrimination, and structural racism at the neighborhood-level in cancer health disparities research. Finally, we offer recommendations to adopt a multi-faceted intersectional approach to reduce cancer health disparities and develop effective interventions to promote health equity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany D Lord
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bldg. 37/Room 3050, Bethesda, MD, 20892-4258, USA.
| | - Alexandra R Harris
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bldg. 37/Room 3050, Bethesda, MD, 20892-4258, USA
| | - Stefan Ambs
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bldg. 37/Room 3050, Bethesda, MD, 20892-4258, USA
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Accelerated epigenetic aging at birth interacts with parenting hostility to predict child temperament and subsequent psychological symptoms. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:109-118. [PMID: 34620266 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421000614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In an effort to elucidate new factors that may contribute to developmental psychopathology, the current study examined whether accelerated epigenetic aging at birth related to children's differential susceptibility to the effects of aversive parenting on early emerging mental health risk. Using data from a multiethnic birth cohort, the interaction between Horvath's methylation age in umbilical cord blood and hostile parenting behaviors was examined in relation to perceptions of infant's temperament at 6 months and to children's psychological symptoms at 3 years in 154 families. Results broadly revealed that children with higher levels of accelerated methylation aging evinced more unpredictable temperaments and more psychological symptoms if their mothers reported more hostile parenting, but showed fewer difficulties if mothers engaged in less hostile parenting; children with lower levels of accelerated methylation age did not show associations between hostility and temperament or psychological symptoms. Effects were not accounted for by gestational age at birth, demographic factors, or the distribution of cell subtypes. These findings suggest that accelerated epigenetic age may function as a form of differential susceptibility, signaling increased risk for psychopathology in more aversive contexts but decreased risk in less aversive early environments. Taken together, they point to a novel biological process to consider within risk for psychopathology.
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Reduced epigenetic age in older adults who volunteer. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 148:106000. [PMID: 36521251 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.106000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Volunteering is associated with improved health and well-being outcomes, including a reduced risk of mortality. However, the biological mechanisms underlying the association between volunteering and healthy aging and longevity have not been well-established. We evaluated if volunteering was associated with reduced epigenetic age acceleration in older adults. METHODS We evaluated associations between volunteering and age acceleration, measured by 13 DNA methylation (DNAm) "epigenetic clocks" in 4011 older adults (Mage=69 years; SDage=10 years) who participated in the Health and Retirement Study. We assessed 9 first-generation clocks (Horvath, Hannum, Horvath Skin, Lin, Garagnani, Vidalbralo, Weidner, Yang, and Bocklandt, which predict chronological age) and 4 second-generation clocks (Zhang, PhenoAge, GrimAge, and DunedinPoAm, which predict future disease or longevity). We quantified the total associations between volunteering and DNAm age acceleration as well as the extent to which these associations might be attributable to potential confounding by individual demographics (e.g., race), social demographics (e.g., income), health factors (e.g., diabetes), and health behaviors (e.g., smoking). RESULTS Volunteering was associated with reduced epigenetic age acceleration across 6 epigenetic clocks optimized for predicting health and longevity (False Discovery Rate [FDR] q < 0.0001 for epigenetic clocks: PhenoAge, GrimAge, DunedinPoAm, Zhang mortality, Yang mitotic; FDR q < 0.01: Hannum). These associations were mostly independent of demographic and health factors, but substantially attenuated after adjusting for health behaviors. CONCLUSION Volunteering was associated with reduced epigenetic age acceleration in 6 of 13 (mostly second-generation) epigenetic clocks. Results provide preliminary evidence that volunteering might provide health benefits through slower biological aging and implicate health behaviors as one potential mechanism of such effects.
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Lavner JA, Carter SE, Hart AR, Adesogan O, Beach SRH. Racial Discrimination and Private Regard Among Black Early Adolescents: Testing Between- and Within-Person Associations Over Time. THE JOURNAL OF EARLY ADOLESCENCE 2023; 43:141-163. [PMID: 38651073 PMCID: PMC11034923 DOI: 10.1177/02724316221096076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
The current study examined concurrent and longitudinal associations between experiences of racial discrimination and private regard (i.e., feelings about being Black and other Black people) among 346 Black early adolescents who completed four assessments over two years. Between-person (interpersonal) and within-person (intrapersonal) effects were tested to provide a rigorous and comprehensive examination of these associations. There was minimal evidence of significant between-person effects in which youth experiencing varying levels of racial discrimination differed in their private regard. However, at the within-person level, there were significant negative concurrent associations between racial discrimination and private regard, indicating that youths' positive racial identity was undermined at times when they were encountering higher levels of racial discrimination than they typically did. Results highlight significant intrapersonal links between racial discrimination and private regard and underscore the continued need for interventions to eliminate racial discrimination and to support Black youth experiencing it.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Steven R H Beach
- Department of Psychology and Center for Family Research, University of Georgia
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34
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Yu YL. Current Marital Status and Epigenetic Clocks Among Older Adults in the United States: Evidence From the Health and Retirement Study. J Aging Health 2023; 35:71-82. [PMID: 35609241 DOI: 10.1177/08982643221104928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: This study examines how current marital status is associated with epigenetic aging. Methods: Data from the 2016 Health and Retirement Study were used to examine marital status differences in the four epigenetic clocks, that is, GrimAge, DunedinPoAm, PhenoAge, and Zhang (N = 3765). Weighted ordinary least square regression models were estimated separately for men and women. Results: Remarried, cohabiting, divorced/separated and widowed older adults showed greater epigenetic aging than the continuously married similarly among men and women. Distinct sex difference was observed among the never married. While never-married women exhibited greater epigenetic aging than their continuously married counterparts, older men in lifelong singlehood showed comparable epigenetic aging to their continuously married peers. Discussion: The findings speak to the importance of marital context for epigenetic aging in later life and the biological risk associated with lifelong singlehood for older women in the US.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Liang Yu
- Department of Sociology and Criminology, 8369Howard University, Washington, DC, USA
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35
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Zhou A, Ancelin ML, Ritchie K, Ryan J. Childhood adverse events and BDNF promoter methylation in later-life. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1108485. [PMID: 36911114 PMCID: PMC9998928 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1108485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies have shown that the effects of early-life stress and trauma can be enduring, with long-term negative effects on health. Epigenetics, including DNA methylation, have been implicated as a potential mechanism for these effects. Brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) is a neurotransmitter involved in learning and memory, and altered BDNF promoter methylation measured in peripheral tissue has been found with early-life stress. However, whether such methylation differences remain stable into later life, is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the association between childhood adversity and BDNF promoter methylation in adults aged 65 years and over. Data came from a large study of older community-dwelling individuals in France (ESPRIT). Information on three major childhood adverse events, namely abuse/maltreatment, war/natural disaster, and financial difficulties/poverty, was obtained by retrospective reporting from participants of ESPRIT study. BDNF promoter I and IV methylation was assessed in blood and buccal tissue. Linear regression analysis was performed, adjusting for age, sex, education, depression, and morbidity. Among 927 participants, there was no strong evidence that childhood abuse/maltreatment or financial difficulties/poverty were associated with BDNF methylation in older individuals. For war/natural disaster, differential methylation at four of twenty-nine CpG sites was observed, however, these would not have remained significant after correction for multiple testing. Together, these findings do not support a long-term association between adverse childhood events and BDNF methylation in older age, but further large prospective studies are needed, which do not target specific genes, but consider DNA methylation across the genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aoshuang Zhou
- Division of Epidemiology, Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Marie-Laure Ancelin
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier, University of Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Karen Ritchie
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier, University of Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Joanne Ryan
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Herren OM, Gillman AS, Marshall VJ, Das R. Understanding the Changing Landscape of Health Disparities in Chronic Liver Diseases and Liver Cancer. GASTRO HEP ADVANCES 2022; 2:505-520. [PMID: 37347072 PMCID: PMC10281758 DOI: 10.1016/j.gastha.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Liver disease and liver cancer disparities in the U.S. are reflective of complex multiple determinants of health. This review describes the disproportionate burden of liver disease and liver cancer among racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender minority, rural, low socioeconomic status (SES) populations, and place-based contexts. The contributions of traditional and lifestyle-related risk factors (e.g., alcohol consumption, evitable toxin exposure, nutrition quality) and comorbid conditions (e.g., viral hepatitis, obesity, type II diabetes) to disparities is also explored. Biopsychosocial mechanisms defining the physiological consequences of inequities underlying these health disparities, including inflammation, allostatic load, genetics, epigenetics, and social epigenomics are described. Guided by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) framework, integrative research of unexplored social and biological mechanisms of health disparities, appropriate methods and measures for early screening, diagnosis, assessment, and strategies for timely treatment and maintaining multidisciplinary care should be actively pursued. We review emerging research on adverse social determinants of liver health, such as structural racism, discrimination, stigma, SES, rising care-related costs, food insecurity, healthcare access, health literacy, and environmental exposures to pollutants. Limited research on protective factors of liver health is also described. Research from effective, multilevel, community-based interventions indicate a need for further intervention efforts that target both risk and protective factors to address health disparities. Policy-level impacts are also needed to reduce disparities. These insights are important, as the social contexts and inequities that influence determinants of liver disease/cancer have been worsened by the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic and are forecasted to amplify disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga M. Herren
- Extramural Scientific Programs, Division of Integrative Biological and Behavioral Sciences
| | - Arielle S. Gillman
- Extramural Scientific Programs, Division of Integrative Biological and Behavioral Sciences
| | - Vanessa J. Marshall
- Office of the Director National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), Bethesda, MD
| | - Rina Das
- Extramural Scientific Programs, Division of Integrative Biological and Behavioral Sciences
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37
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Epigenetic aging and perceived psychological stress in old age. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:410. [PMID: 36163242 PMCID: PMC9513097 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02181-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Adverse effects of psychological stress on physical and mental health, especially in older age, are well documented. How perceived stress relates to the epigenetic clock measure, DNA methylation age acceleration (DNAmAA), is less well understood and existing studies reported inconsistent results. DNAmAA was estimated from five epigenetic clocks (7-CpG, Horvath's, Hannum's, PhenoAge and GrimAge DNAmAA). Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was used as marker of psychological stress. We analyzed data from 1,100 Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II) participants assessed as part of the GendAge study (mean age = 75.6 years, SD = 3.8 years, 52.1% women). In a first step, we replicated well-established associations of perceived stress with morbidity, frailty, and symptoms of depression in the BASE-II cohort studied here. In a second step, we did not find any statistically significant association of perceived stress with any of the five epigenetic clocks in multiple linear regression analyses that adjusted for covariates. Although the body of literature suggests an association between higher DNAmAA and stress or trauma during early childhood, the current study found no evidence for an association of perception of stress with DNAmAA in older people. We discuss possible reasons for the lack of associations and highlight directions for future research.
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Weick M, Couturier DL, Vasiljevic M, Ross P, Clark CJ, Crisp RJ, Leite AC, Marcinko AJ, Nguyen TVT, Van de Vyver J. Building bonds: A pre-registered secondary data analysis examining linear and curvilinear relations between socio-economic status and communal attitudes. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jesp.2022.104353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Svoboda LK, Perera BPU, Morgan RK, Polemi KM, Pan J, Dolinoy DC. Toxicoepigenetics and Environmental Health: Challenges and Opportunities. Chem Res Toxicol 2022; 35:1293-1311. [PMID: 35876266 PMCID: PMC9812000 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.1c00445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The rapidly growing field of toxicoepigenetics seeks to understand how toxicant exposures interact with the epigenome to influence disease risk. Toxicoepigenetics is a promising field of environmental health research, as integrating epigenetics into the field of toxicology will enable a more thorough evaluation of toxicant-induced disease mechanisms as well as the elucidation of the role of the epigenome as a biomarker of exposure and disease and possible mediator of exposure effects. Likewise, toxicoepigenetics will enhance our knowledge of how environmental exposures, lifestyle factors, and diet interact to influence health. Ultimately, an understanding of how the environment impacts the epigenome to cause disease may inform risk assessment, permit noninvasive biomonitoring, and provide potential opportunities for therapeutic intervention. However, the translation of research from this exciting field into benefits for human and animal health presents several challenges and opportunities. Here, we describe four significant areas in which we see opportunity to transform the field and improve human health by reducing the disease burden caused by environmental exposures. These include (1) research into the mechanistic role for epigenetic change in environment-induced disease, (2) understanding key factors influencing vulnerability to the adverse effects of environmental exposures, (3) identifying appropriate biomarkers of environmental exposures and their associated diseases, and (4) determining whether the adverse effects of environment on the epigenome and human health are reversible through pharmacologic, dietary, or behavioral interventions. We then highlight several initiatives currently underway to address these challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie K Svoboda
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Bambarendage P U Perera
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Rachel K Morgan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Katelyn M Polemi
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Junru Pan
- Department Nutritional Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Dana C Dolinoy
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department Nutritional Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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Simons RL, Ong ML, Lei MK, Klopack E, Berg M, Zhang Y, Philibert R, Beach SSR. Unstable Childhood, Adult Adversity, and Smoking Accelerate Biological Aging Among Middle-Age African Americans: Similar Findings for GrimAge and PoAm. J Aging Health 2022; 34:487-498. [PMID: 34525884 PMCID: PMC9851128 DOI: 10.1177/08982643211043668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Objectives: The recent biological clocks GrimAge and PoAm are robust predictors of morbidity and mortality. Little research, however, has investigated the factors that influence their ticking speed. No study has used multivariate analyses to examine whether childhood adversity, adult hardship, lifestyle practices, or some combination of these factors best explains acceleration of these indices. Methods: Using a sample of 506 middle-age African Americans, the present study investigated the extent to which childhood instability, adult adversity, and lifestyle predict accelerated GrimAge and PoAm. Results: The two clocks were highly correlated and the pattern of findings was very similar for the two measures. Childhood instability, adult financial hardship, and smoking were significant predictors of both clocks. Discussion: The findings support a life course perspective where both the long arm of childhood as well as later life conditions influence speed of aging. Similar results across the two clocks enhance confidence in the findings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Eric Klopack
- University of Southern California, California, CA, USA
| | - Mark Berg
- University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Yue Zhang
- 1355University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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41
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Aronoff JE, Quinn EB, Forde AT, Glover LM, Reiner A, McDade TW, Sims M. Associations between perceived discrimination and immune cell composition in the Jackson Heart Study. Brain Behav Immun 2022; 103:28-36. [PMID: 35381348 PMCID: PMC9149129 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
African American adults suffer disproportionately from several non-communicable and infectious diseases. Among numerous contributing factors, perceived discrimination is considered a stressor for members of historically marginalized groups that contributes to health risk, although biological pathways are incompletely understood. Previous studies have reported associations between stress and both an up-regulation of non-specific (innate) inflammation and down-regulation of specific (adaptive) immunity. While associations between perceived discrimination and markers of inflammation have been explored, it is unclear if this is part of an overall shift that also includes down-regulated adaptive immunity. Relying on a large cross-section of African American adults (n = 3,319) from the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) in Jackson, Mississippi, we tested whether perceived everyday and lifetime discrimination as well as perceived burden from lifetime discrimination were associated with counts of neutrophils (innate), monocytes (innate), lymphocytes (adaptive), and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), derived from complete white blood cell counts with differential. In addition, DNA methylation (DNAm) was measured on the EPIC array in a sub-sample (n = 1,023) of participants, allowing estimation of CD4T, CD8T and B lymphocyte proportions. Unexpectedly, high lifetime discrimination compared to low was significantly associated with lower neutrophils (b : -0.14, [95% CI: -0.24, -0.04]) and a lower NLR (b : -0.15, [95% CI: -0.25, -0.05]) after controlling for confounders. However, high perceived burden from lifetime discrimination was significantly associated with higher neutrophils (b : 0.17, [95% CI: 0.05, 0.30]) and a higher NLR (b : 0.16, [95% CI: 0.03, 0.29]). High perceived burden was also associated with lower lymphocytes among older men, which our analysis suggested might have been attributable to differences in CD4T cells. These findings highlight immune function as a potentially important pathway linking perceived discrimination to health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob E Aronoff
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
| | - Edward B Quinn
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Allana T Forde
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Láshauntá M Glover
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Alexander Reiner
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Thomas W McDade
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Mario Sims
- Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA
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42
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Chen S, Alers-Rojas F, Benner A, Gleason M. Daily Experiences of Discrimination and Ethnic/Racial Minority Adolescents' Sleep: The Moderating Role of Social Support. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE 2022; 32:596-610. [PMID: 34850482 PMCID: PMC10782844 DOI: 10.1111/jora.12693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Using data from a 14-day diary study of 95 ethnic/racial minority adolescents, this study examined the within-person effect of daily discrimination tied to multiple social identities on adolescents' daily sleep quality and duration and whether daily support from important others (i.e., friends, parents, and teachers) would moderate these links. We found that daily discrimination was a low-frequency, but high-impact event associated with shorter sleep duration. Results pointed to the nuanced roles of daily support. Support from friends was negatively related to sleep duration, whereas support from parents appeared to be promotive to sleep quality. Support from teachers protected adolescents from the negative effects of discrimination on sleep duration. Implications for future interventions targeting sleep disturbances associated with discrimination are discussed.
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Vara EL, Langefeld CD, Wolf BJ, Howard TD, Hawkins GA, Quet Q, Moultrie LH, Quinnette King L, Molano ID, Bray SL, Ueberroth LA, Lim SS, Williams EM, Kamen DL, Ramos PS. Social Factors, Epigenomics and Lupus in African American Women (SELA) Study: protocol for an observational mechanistic study examining the interplay of multiple individual and social factors on lupus outcomes in a health disparity population. Lupus Sci Med 2022; 9:9/1/e000698. [PMID: 35768168 PMCID: PMC9244713 DOI: 10.1136/lupus-2022-000698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Introduction Despite the disproportional impact of SLE on historically marginalised communities, the individual and sociocultural factors underlying these health disparities remain elusive. We report the design and methods for a study aimed at identifying epigenetic biomarkers associated with racism and resiliency that affect gene function and thereby influence SLE in a health disparity population. Methods and analysis The Social Factors, Epigenomics and Lupus in African American Women (SELA) Study is a cross-sectional, case–control study. A total of 600 self-reported African American women will be invited to participate. All participants will respond to questionnaires that capture detailed sociodemographic and medical history, validated measures of racial discrimination, social support, as well as disease activity and damage for cases. Participants who wish will receive their genetic ancestry estimates and be involved in research. Blood samples are required to provide peripheral blood mononuclear cell counts, DNA and RNA. The primary goals of SELA are to identify variation in DNA methylation (DNAm) associated with self-reported exposure to racial discrimination and social support, to evaluate whether social DNAm sites affect gene expression, to identify the synergistic effects of social factors on DNAm changes on SLE and to develop a social factors-DNAm predictive model for disease outcomes. This study is conducted in cooperation with the Sea Island Families Project Citizen Advisory Committee. Discussion and dissemination SELA will respond to the pressing need to clarify the interplay and regulatory mechanism by which various positive and negative social exposures influence SLE. Results will be published and shared with patients and the community. Knowledge of the biological impact of social exposures on SLE, as informed by the results of this study, can be leveraged by advocacy efforts to develop psychosocial interventions that prevent or mitigate risk exposures, and services or interventions that promote positive exposures. Implementation of such interventions is paramount to the closure of the health disparities gap.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L Vara
- Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Carl D Langefeld
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.,Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Bethany J Wolf
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Timothy D Howard
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Gregory A Hawkins
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Queen Quet
- Gullah/Geechee Nation, St Helena Island, South Carolina, USA
| | - Lee H Moultrie
- Lee H Moultrie & Associates, North Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - L Quinnette King
- Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Ivan D Molano
- Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Stephanie L Bray
- Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Lori Ann Ueberroth
- Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - S Sam Lim
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Edith M Williams
- Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.,Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Diane L Kamen
- Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Paula S Ramos
- Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA .,Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
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Barton AW, Yu T, Gong Q, Miller GE, Chen E, Brody GH. Childhood poverty, immune cell aging, and African Americans' insulin resistance: A prospective study. Child Dev 2022; 93:1616-1624. [PMID: 35596670 PMCID: PMC9427675 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The present study investigated developmental pathways that can contribute to chronic disease among rural African Americans. With a sample of 342 African American youth (59% female) from the southeastern United States followed for nearly two decades (2001–2019), we examined the prospective association between family poverty during adolescence (ages 11–18) and insulin resistance (IR) in young adulthood (ages 25–29) as well as underlying biological and psychosocial mechanisms. Results indicated family poverty during adolescence forecast higher levels of IR in young adulthood, with accelerated immune cell aging at age 20 partially mediating this association. Serial mediational models confirmed the hypothesized pathway linking family poverty, perceived life chances, cellular aging, and IR. Findings provide empirical support for theorized developmental precursors of chronic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allen W Barton
- Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Tianyi Yu
- Center for Family Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Qiujie Gong
- Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Gregory E Miller
- Institute for Policy Research & Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Edith Chen
- Institute for Policy Research & Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Gene H Brody
- Center for Family Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
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Brantley E, Darden M, Ku L. Associations of Expanding Parental Medicaid Eligibility and Parental Health and Family Functioning. Acad Pediatr 2022; 22:622-630. [PMID: 34325060 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2021.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the effects of parental Medicaid eligibility on parental health, parenting practices, and child development in low-income families. METHODS Longitudinal analysis using data from the Early Child Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten: 2011 to 2016. Outcomes included parental self-rated health, parental depressive symptoms, parents' communication and warmth toward children, and children's social skills and externalizing and internalizing behaviors. We estimated 2-way (individual and year) fixed effects models using Medicaid eligibility as a continuous variable, controlling for changing economic conditions, changes in family structure, and state-specific trends. We then estimated triple difference models comparing lower income families to those with higher incomes. Finally, we estimated difference-in-difference models and used entropy weights in order to account for differences in trends prior to 2014 for some outcomes. RESULTS In fixed effects models, expanding Medicaid eligibility by 100% of the federal poverty line is associated with a 12.7 percentage point reduction in parents' report of having fair or poor health (95% confidence interval [CI], -23.9, -1.5) and a 1.15-point improvement on a 12-point scale of parental warmth towards children (95% CI, 0.15, 2.16). Results were substantively similar in entropy-balanced difference-in-differences models. In triple difference models, expanded Medicaid eligibility is associated with a 0.46 point improvement in warmth (95% CI, 0.10, 0.83) but not improved parental health. No significant effects for child behavior or other outcomes were detected. CONCLUSIONS Expanding Medicaid for parents may have implications for intergenerational family functioning that could lead to broader social benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Brantley
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Milken Institute School of Public Health (E Brantley and L Ku), Washington, DC.
| | - Michael Darden
- Carey Business School at John Hopkins University (M Darden), Baltimore, Md
| | - Leighton Ku
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Milken Institute School of Public Health (E Brantley and L Ku), Washington, DC
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46
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Beach SRH, Gibbons FX, Carter SE, Ong ML, Lavner JA, Lei MK, Simons RL, Gerrard M, Philibert RA. Childhood adversity predicts black young adults' DNA methylation-based accelerated aging: A dual pathway model. Dev Psychopathol 2022; 34:689-703. [PMID: 34924087 PMCID: PMC9207155 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421001541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
We expand upon prior work (Gibbons et al., ) relating childhood stressor effects, particularly harsh childhood environments, to risky behavior and ultimately physical health by adding longer-term outcomes - deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation-based measures of accelerated aging (DNAm-aging). Further, following work on the effects of early exposure to danger (McLaughlin et al., ), we also identify an additional pathway from harsh childhood environments to DNAm-aging that we label the danger/FKBP5 pathway, which includes early exposure to dangerous community conditions that are thought to impact glucocorticoid regulation and pro-inflammatory mechanisms. Because different DNAm-aging indices provide different windows on accelerated aging, we contrast effects on early indices of DNAm-aging based on chronological age with later indices that focused on predicting biological outcomes. We utilize data from Family and Community Health Study participants (N = 449) from age 10 to 29. We find that harshness influences parenting, which, in turn, influences accelerated DNAm-aging through the risky cognitions and substance use (i.e., behavioral) pathway outlined by Gibbons et al. (). Harshness is also associated with increased exposure to threat/danger, which, in turn, leads to accelerated DNAm-aging through effects on FKBP5 activity and enhanced pro-inflammatory tendencies (i.e., the danger/FKBP5 pathway).
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven R. H. Beach
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 157 Psychology Building, Athens GA 30602
- Center for Family Research, University of Georgia, 157 Psychology Building, Athens GA 30602
| | - Frederick X. Gibbons
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Road, Storrs, CT 06269
| | | | - Mei Ling Ong
- Center for Family Research, University of Georgia, 157 Psychology Building, Athens GA 30602
| | - Justin A. Lavner
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 157 Psychology Building, Athens GA 30602
- Center for Family Research, University of Georgia, 157 Psychology Building, Athens GA 30602
| | - Man-Kit Lei
- Department of Sociology, University of Georgia, 324 Baldwin Hall, Athens, GA 30602
| | - Ronald L. Simons
- Department of Sociology, University of Georgia, 324 Baldwin Hall, Athens, GA 30602
| | - Meg Gerrard
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Road, Storrs, CT 06269
| | - Robert A. Philibert
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 Behavioral Diagnostics, Coralville, Iowa 52241
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Martin CL, Ghastine L, Lodge EK, Dhingra R, Ward-Caviness CK. Understanding Health Inequalities Through the Lens of Social Epigenetics. Annu Rev Public Health 2022; 43:235-254. [PMID: 35380065 PMCID: PMC9584166 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-052020-105613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Longstanding racial/ethnic inequalities in morbidity and mortality persist in the United States. Although the determinants of health inequalities are complex, social and structural factors produced by inequitable and racialized systems are recognized as contributing sources. Social epigenetics is an emerging area of research that aims to uncover biological pathways through which social experiences affect health outcomes. A growing body of literature links adverse social exposures to epigenetic mechanisms, namely DNA methylation, offering a plausible pathway through which health inequalities may arise. This review provides an overview of social epigenetics and highlights existing literature linking social exposures-i.e., psychosocial stressors, racism, discrimination, socioeconomic position, and neighborhood social environment-to DNA methylation in humans. We conclude with a discussion of social epigenetics as a mechanistic link to health inequalities and provide suggestions for future social epigenetics research on health inequalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chantel L Martin
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA;
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lea Ghastine
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA;
| | - Evans K Lodge
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA;
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Radhika Dhingra
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Institute of Environmental Health Solutions, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Cavin K Ward-Caviness
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, US Environmental Protection Agency, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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Lim S, Nzegwu D, Wright ML. The Impact of Psychosocial Stress from Life Trauma and Racial Discrimination on Epigenetic Aging-A Systematic Review. Biol Res Nurs 2022; 24:202-215. [PMID: 35102751 PMCID: PMC9096197 DOI: 10.1177/10998004211060561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this review was to explore the effects of psychosocial stress from life trauma and racial discrimination on epigenetic aging. DESIGN A systematic review of the last 10 years was conducted using four databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, PsychInfo, and CINAHL. METHODS Articles were identified using the following terms: ([(DNA methylation) AND (epigenetic clock)] OR [(DNA methylation) AND (epigenetic age)]) AND (discrimination OR trauma)). Original research articles published in English measuring life trauma, post-traumatic stress, experience of discrimination, and epigenetic clocks or aging were analyzed using PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS Ten articles met inclusion criteria. The study sample size ranged from 96 to 1163 and most study populations had a mean age under 50 and included predominantly White male participants. One study identified accelerated epigenetic aging associated with discrimination using Hannum's clock; 33% of studies evaluating life trauma reported epigenetic age acceleration using GrimAge or Horvath's clock; 25% of studies evaluating childhood trauma reported epigenetic age acceleration using Horvath's clock; and 71% of studies assessing post-traumatic stress observed epigenetic age acceleration with all clocks, while one study reported deceleration using Horvath's clock. CONCLUSIONS The experiences of life trauma, post-traumatic stress, and discrimination may be associated with accelerated epigenetic aging that can be consistently detected using different epigenetic clocks. Additional studies inclusive of diverse populations and other psychosocial stressors are needed. RELEVANCE Nursing scholars and other health scientists who utilize epigenetic age acceleration to assess health risks may need to consider including psychosocial stressors in their studies as covariates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungju Lim
- 16168School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Dumebi Nzegwu
- Department of Health and Society, 171769College of Liberal Arts, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Michelle L Wright
- 16168School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.,Department of Women's Health, 377659Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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Moore E, Allen JB, Mulligan CJ, Wayne EC. Ancestry of cells must be considered in bioengineering. NATURE REVIEWS. MATERIALS 2022; 7:2-4. [PMID: 37200939 PMCID: PMC10190130 DOI: 10.1038/s41578-021-00397-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Bioengineered platforms, intended to be used in the investigation of human health and disease, often incorporate cells of unknown ancestry or that lack diversity. To develop tools and platforms that benefit the entire human population, we must consider the ancestry of cells and intentionally diversify the cells we use in our designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Moore
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Josephine B. Allen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Connie J. Mulligan
- Department of Anthropology, Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Elizabeth C. Wayne
- Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Lei MK, Berg MT, Simons RL, Beach SRH. Neighborhood structural disadvantage and biological aging in a sample of Black middle age and young adults. Soc Sci Med 2022; 293:114654. [PMID: 34923353 PMCID: PMC8810597 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Research on the social determinants of health has suggested that neighborhood disadvantage may undermine healthy aging and is particularly relevant for understanding health disparities. Recently, this work has examined deoxyribonucleic acid methylation (DNAm)-based measures of biological aging to understand the risk factors for morbidity and mortality. However, it is unknown whether neighborhood disadvantage is related to different indices of DNAm-based aging among Black Americans and whether such neighborhood effects vary as a function of age or gender. METHODS Our analyses of a Black American sample included 448 young adults and 493 middle-aged adults. We measured neighborhood disadvantage using the Area Deprivation Index at the census block group level. DNAm-based accelerated aging indices were measured using established procedures. Regressions with clustered standard errors were used for the analysis. RESULTS Neighborhood disadvantage was independently associated with acceleration in PhenoAge, GrimAge, and DunedinPoAm, among young and middle-aged adults. Further, there was no evidence that gender conditioned the effects of neighborhood disadvantage on the aging indices. CONCLUSIONS Regardless of age groups or gender, accelerated biological aging among Black Americans is partly rooted in differences in neighborhood disadvantage. From a policy standpoint, our findings suggest that programs that decrease neighborhood disadvantage are likely to increase healthy aging, especially among Black Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man-Kit Lei
- Department of Sociology, University of Georgia, USA.
| | - Mark T Berg
- Department of Sociology and Criminology & Public Policy Center, University of Iowa, USA
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