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Childhood victimization and inflammation in young adulthood: A genetically sensitive cohort study.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Baldwin, JR; Arseneault, L; Caspi, A; Fisher, HL; Moffitt, TE; Odgers, CL; Pariante, C; Ambler, A; Dove, R; Kepa, A; Matthews, T; Menard, A ...
Published in: Brain, behavior, and immunity
January 2018

Childhood victimization is an important risk factor for later immune-related disorders. Previous evidence has demonstrated that childhood victimization is associated with elevated levels of inflammation biomarkers measured decades after exposure. However, it is unclear whether this association is (1) already detectable in young people, (2) different in males and females, and (3) confounded by genetic liability to inflammation. Here we sought to address these questions.Participants were 2232 children followed from birth to age 18years as part of the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study. Childhood victimization was measured prospectively from birth to age 12years. Inflammation was measured through C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in dried blood spots at age 18years. Latent genetic liability for high inflammation levels was assessed through a twin-based method.Greater exposure to childhood victimization was associated with higher CRP levels at age 18 (serum-equivalent means were 0.65 in non-victimized Study members, 0.74 in those exposed to one victimization type, and 0.81 in those exposed to poly-victimization; p=0.018). However, this association was driven by a significant association in females (serum-equivalent means were 0.75 in non-victimized females, 0.87 in those exposed to one type of victimization, and 1.19 in those exposed to poly-victimization; p=0.010), while no significant association was observed in males (p=0.19). Victimized females showed elevated CRP levels independent of latent genetic influence, as well as childhood socioeconomic status, and waist-hip ratio and body temperature at the time of CRP assessment.Childhood victimization is associated with elevated CRP levels in young women, independent of latent genetic influences and other key risk factors. These results strengthen causal inference about the effects of childhood victimization on inflammation levels in females by accounting for potential genetic confounding.

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Published In

Brain, behavior, and immunity

DOI

EISSN

1090-2139

ISSN

0889-1591

Publication Date

January 2018

Volume

67

Start / End Page

211 / 217

Related Subject Headings

  • Risk Factors
  • Prospective Studies
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Male
  • Inflammation
  • Humans
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Female
  • Cohort Studies
  • Child Abuse
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Baldwin, J. R., Arseneault, L., Caspi, A., Fisher, H. L., Moffitt, T. E., Odgers, C. L., … Danese, A. (2018). Childhood victimization and inflammation in young adulthood: A genetically sensitive cohort study. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 67, 211–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2017.08.025
Baldwin, Jessie R., Louise Arseneault, Avshalom Caspi, Helen L. Fisher, Terrie E. Moffitt, Candice L. Odgers, Carmine Pariante, et al. “Childhood victimization and inflammation in young adulthood: A genetically sensitive cohort study.Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 67 (January 2018): 211–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2017.08.025.
Baldwin JR, Arseneault L, Caspi A, Fisher HL, Moffitt TE, Odgers CL, et al. Childhood victimization and inflammation in young adulthood: A genetically sensitive cohort study. Brain, behavior, and immunity. 2018 Jan;67:211–7.
Baldwin, Jessie R., et al. “Childhood victimization and inflammation in young adulthood: A genetically sensitive cohort study.Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, vol. 67, Jan. 2018, pp. 211–17. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2017.08.025.
Baldwin JR, Arseneault L, Caspi A, Fisher HL, Moffitt TE, Odgers CL, Pariante C, Ambler A, Dove R, Kepa A, Matthews T, Menard A, Sugden K, Williams B, Danese A. Childhood victimization and inflammation in young adulthood: A genetically sensitive cohort study. Brain, behavior, and immunity. 2018 Jan;67:211–217.
Journal cover image

Published In

Brain, behavior, and immunity

DOI

EISSN

1090-2139

ISSN

0889-1591

Publication Date

January 2018

Volume

67

Start / End Page

211 / 217

Related Subject Headings

  • Risk Factors
  • Prospective Studies
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Male
  • Inflammation
  • Humans
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Female
  • Cohort Studies
  • Child Abuse