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Early adversities accelerate epigenetic aging into adulthood: a 10-year, within-subject analysis.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Copeland, WE; Shanahan, L; McGinnis, EW; Aberg, KA; van den Oord, EJCG
Published in: J Child Psychol Psychiatry
November 2022

BACKGROUND: Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify whether early adversities are associated with advanced methylation age or if they actually accelerate methylation aging. This study test whether different dimensions of childhood adversity accelerate biological aging from childhood to adulthood, and, if so, via which mechanisms. METHODS: 381 participants provided one blood sample in childhood (average age 15.0; SD = 2.3) and another in young adulthood (average age 23.1; SD = 2.8). Participants and their parents provided a median of 6 childhood assessments (total = 1,950 childhood observations), reporting exposures to different types of adversity dimensions (i.e. threat, material deprivation, loss, unpredictability). The blood samples were assayed to estimate DNA methylation age in both childhood and adulthood and also change in methylation age across this period. RESULTS: Cross-sectional associations between the childhood adversity dimensions and childhood measures of methylation age were non-significant. In contrast, multiple adversity dimensions were associated with accelerated within-person change in methylation age from adolescence to young adulthood. These associations attenuated in model testing all dimensions at the same time. Accelerated aging increased with increasing number of childhood adversities: Individuals with highest number of adversities experienced 2+ additional years of methylation aging compared to those with no exposure to childhood adversities. The association between total childhood adversity exposure and accelerated aging was partially explained by childhood depressive symptoms, but not anxiety or behavioral symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Early adversities accelerate epigenetic aging long after they occur, in proportion to the total number of such experiences, and in a manner consistent with a shared effect that crosses multiple early dimensions of risk.

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Published In

J Child Psychol Psychiatry

DOI

EISSN

1469-7610

Publication Date

November 2022

Volume

63

Issue

11

Start / End Page

1308 / 1315

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Risk Factors
  • Humans
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Developmental & Child Psychology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Child
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Aging
  • Adult
 

Citation

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ICMJE
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Copeland, W. E., Shanahan, L., McGinnis, E. W., Aberg, K. A., & van den Oord, E. J. C. G. (2022). Early adversities accelerate epigenetic aging into adulthood: a 10-year, within-subject analysis. J Child Psychol Psychiatry, 63(11), 1308–1315. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13575
Copeland, William E., Lilly Shanahan, Ellen W. McGinnis, Karolina A. Aberg, and Edwin J. C. G. van den Oord. “Early adversities accelerate epigenetic aging into adulthood: a 10-year, within-subject analysis.J Child Psychol Psychiatry 63, no. 11 (November 2022): 1308–15. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13575.
Copeland WE, Shanahan L, McGinnis EW, Aberg KA, van den Oord EJCG. Early adversities accelerate epigenetic aging into adulthood: a 10-year, within-subject analysis. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2022 Nov;63(11):1308–15.
Copeland, William E., et al. “Early adversities accelerate epigenetic aging into adulthood: a 10-year, within-subject analysis.J Child Psychol Psychiatry, vol. 63, no. 11, Nov. 2022, pp. 1308–15. Pubmed, doi:10.1111/jcpp.13575.
Copeland WE, Shanahan L, McGinnis EW, Aberg KA, van den Oord EJCG. Early adversities accelerate epigenetic aging into adulthood: a 10-year, within-subject analysis. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2022 Nov;63(11):1308–1315.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Child Psychol Psychiatry

DOI

EISSN

1469-7610

Publication Date

November 2022

Volume

63

Issue

11

Start / End Page

1308 / 1315

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Risk Factors
  • Humans
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Developmental & Child Psychology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Child
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Aging
  • Adult