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Child maltreatment, inflammation, and internalizing symptoms: Investigating the roles of C-reactive protein, gene variation, and neuroendocrine regulation.

ABSTRACT: Prior research has found inconsistent evidence regarding the association among childhood adversity, inflammation, and internalizing symptoms, perhaps because previous studies have yet to adequately integrate important factors such as the timing of the adversity, genetic variation, and other relevant processes such as neuroendocrine regulation. The aims of the present study were threefold: (a) to determine whether the effect of the timing of child maltreatment on C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory marker, varies by CRP gene variation; (b) to explore whether links between salivary CRP and childhood internalizing symptoms depend on the presence and timing of maltreatment experiences; and (c) to investigate the role of CRP in the relations between child neuroendocrine regulation and internalizing symptoms and examine whether these associations are moderated by the presence and timing of child maltreatment. Participants included a sample of 267 maltreated and 222 nonmaltreated children (M age = 9.72, SD = 0.99; 52.4% male; 66% African American) who attended a summer day camp research program designed for school-aged low-income children. Department of Human Services records were examined to determine the onset and recency of maltreatment for children in the maltreated group. The results indicated that among children with recent onset maltreatment, those with at least one A allele from CRP single nucleotide polymorphism rs1417938 evidenced significantly higher CRP levels compared to recently maltreated children carrying the TT genotype. Moreover, higher levels of CRP were associated with higher levels of internalizing symptoms only for recently maltreated children. Finally, we did not find support for salivary CRP as a mechanism in the relation between neuroendocrine regulation and childhood internalizing symptoms. Our findings highlight the importance of the timing of child maltreatment and have important implications for characterizing variability in inflammation and internalizing symptoms among youth.

SUBMITTER: Cicchetti D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4443869 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Child maltreatment, inflammation, and internalizing symptoms: Investigating the roles of C-reactive protein, gene variation, and neuroendocrine regulation.

Cicchetti Dante D Handley Elizabeth D ED Rogosch Fred A FA

Development and psychopathology 20150501 2

Prior research has found inconsistent evidence regarding the association among childhood adversity, inflammation, and internalizing symptoms, perhaps because previous studies have yet to adequately integrate important factors such as the timing of the adversity, genetic variation, and other relevant processes such as neuroendocrine regulation. The aims of the present study were threefold: (a) to determine whether the effect of the timing of child maltreatment on C-reactive protein (CRP), an infl ...[more]

PMID: 25997771

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Childhood maltreatment is one of the most potent predictors of future psychopathology, including internalizing disorders. It remains unclear whether heightened amygdala reactivity to threat and elevated stress exposure may be implicated in the pathogenesis and maintenance of internalizing disorders among individuals with a history of childhood maltreatment. METHODS:Using data from a sample of 1,144 young adults, we investigated the contribution of baseline threat-related amygdala reactivity and prospective major stressful life events to internalizing symptoms severity 1 year later (on average) in individuals with a history of maltreatment (n = 100) and propensity score matched nonmaltreated peers (n = 96). RESULTS:Even after stringently matching for several potentially confounding variables - including baseline internalizing symptoms, socioeconomic status and IQ - childhood maltreatment status predicted increased amygdala reactivity at baseline, elevated post-baseline exposure to major stressful life events and internalizing symptoms at follow-up. We also showed, for the first time, that amygdala reactivity at baseline and also post-baseline exposure to major stressful life events mediated the association between a history of maltreatment and future internalizing symptoms. CONCLUSIONS:These findings provide support for the view that maltreatment is a potent developmental insult leading to long-lasting neurocognitive recalibrations of the threat processing system. It is possible that such alterations, over time, may impact mental health functioning by compromising the ability to effectively negotiate everyday challenges (stress susceptibility). These alterations were not, however, found to sensitize an individual to the impact of major stressful life events. The results of this study also lend compelling support to the view that increased psychiatric risk, in the context of childhood maltreatment, follows from an increased propensity to experience major stressful life events (stress generation).

Dataset Information

Child maltreatment, inflammation, and internalizing symptoms: Investigating the roles of C-reactive protein, gene variation, and neuroendocrine regulation.

Publications

Child maltreatment, inflammation, and internalizing symptoms: Investigating the roles of C-reactive protein, gene variation, and neuroendocrine regulation.

Similar Datasets

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