Citation

Jabbi MM, Harvey PD, Kotwicki RJ, Nemeroff CB. Int. J. Neuropsychopharmacol. 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Cambridge University Press)

DOI

10.1093/ijnp/pyac065

PMID

36124823

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Early life adversity such as childhood emotional, physical, and sexual trauma is associated with later-life psychiatric and chronic medical conditions, including elevated inflammatory markers. Although previous research suggests a role for chronic inflammatory dysfunctions in several disease etiologies, specific associations between childhood trauma types and later life inflammation and health status are poorly understood.

METHODS: We studied patients (n=280) admitted to a psychiatric rehabilitation center. Self-reported histories of childhood emotional, physical, and sexual trauma were collected with a standard instrument. At the time of admission, we also assessed individuals' body mass index (BMI) and collected blood samples used to examine inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) levels.

RESULTS: The prevalence of all three types of abuse was relatively high, at 21% or more. 50% of the sample had elevations in CRP, with clinically significant elevations in 26%. We found that compared to a history of emotional or physical abuse, a history of childhood sexual trauma was more specifically associated with elevated CRP. This result held up when using linear regressions to examine the contribution of BMI. LIMITATION: Our sample is relatively young, with an average age of 27.2 years and minimal representation of ethnic and racial minority participants.

CONCLUSION: Relative to childhood emotional and physical trauma, childhood sexual trauma may lead to elevated inflammatory responses, confirmed in our finding of an association between CRP and sexual abuse. Future studies need to assess the causal link between childhood sexual trauma and poorer health outcomes later in life.

Language: en

Keywords

Inflammation; Child Abuse and Neglect; Sexual Abuse