Adverse childhood experiences, daytime salivary cortisol, and depressive symptoms in early adulthood: a longitudinal genetically informed twin study

AbstractDysregulated hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA)-axis function might underlie the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and depression. However, limited research has examined the possible mediating role of the HPA-axis among young people using longitudinal data. Moreover, it remains unclear whether genetic influences could contribute to these associations. Participants were 290 children from the Twins Early Development Study. ACEs were assessed from age 3–11 years. We calculated a cumulative risk score and also derived different ACEs clusters using factor analysis and latent class analysis. HPA-axis activity was indexed by daytime salivary cortisol at age 11. Depressive symptoms were ascertained at age 21. Genetic liability to altered cortisol levels and elevated depressive symptoms was measured using a twin-based method. We performed causal mediation analysis with mixed-effects regression models. The results showed that ACEs cumulative exposure (b = −0.20, p = 0.03), bullying (b = −0.61, p = 0.01), and emotional abuse (b = −0.84, p = 0.02) were associated with lower cortisol levels at age 11. Among participants exposed to multiple ACEs, lower cortisol was related to higher depressive symptoms at age 21 (b = −0.56, p = 0.05). Lower cortisol levels mediated around 10–20% of the total associations of ACEs cumulative exposure, bullying, and dysfunctional parenting/emotional abuse with higher depressive symptoms. Genetic factors contributed to these associations, but the mediation effects of cortisol in the associations of ACEs cumulative exposure (b = 0.16 [0.02–0.34]) and bullying (b = 0.18 [0.01–0.43]) remained when genetic confounding was accounted for. In conclusion, ACEs were linked to elevated depressive symptoms in early adulthood partly through lower cortisol levels in early adolescence, and these relationships were independent of genetic confounding.

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Adverse childhood experiences, salivary cortisol, and depressive symptoms in early adulthood: A longitudinal genetically informed twin study

Psychoneuroendocrinology ◽

10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104951 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 119 ◽

pp. 104951

Author(s):

Eleonora Iob ◽

Andrew Steptoe

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Salivary Cortisol ◽

Twin Study ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Early Adulthood ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Adverse Childhood

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Adverse childhood experiences leads to perceived negative attitude of others and the effect of adverse childhood experiences on depression in adulthood is mediated via negative attitude of others

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2018.06.011 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 54 ◽

pp. 27-34 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Raimo K.R. Salokangas ◽

Tiina From ◽

Sinikka Luutonen ◽

Jarmo Hietala

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Emotional Abuse ◽

Negative Attitude ◽

Self Report ◽

Mediation Effect ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

Physical Neglect ◽

Distress Scale

AbstractBackground:The attachment theory suggests that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can have an effect on how individuals perceive other people's attitude towards them. ACEs have also been associated with adult depression. We hypothesised that ACEs associate with perceived negative attitude of others (AoO) and depressive symptoms (DEPS), and that these associations differ between the genders.Methods:Altogether, 692 participants drawn from the general population completed the Trauma and Distress Scale, as a measurement of ACE and its domains: emotional abuse (EmoAb), physical abuse (PhyAb), sexual abuse (SexAb), emotional neglect (EmoNeg) and physical neglect (PhyNeg); a visual analog scale with the question: “What kind of attitude do other people take towards you?”, and the self-report scale DEPS on depressive symptoms.Results:ACEs, AoO and DEPS correlated strongly with each other. In path analyses, ACE total and all its domains associated directly and indirectly, via DEPS, to negative AoO in the whole sample, and in females separately. ACE total, EmoAb, PhyAb, EmoNeg and PhyNeg associated directly and indirectly, via AoO, to DEPS in the whole sample and in both genders separately. EmoNeg, in all, and EmoAB, in males, had specific associations both with negative AoO and DEPS. Mediation effect via AoO was greater than via DEPS.Conclusions:ACEs have a direct and indirect, via depression, negative effect on how adult individuals perceive other people's attitude towards themselves. Additionally, negative AoO mediates the effects of ACEs on depression. Childhood EmoNeg associates specifically with negative AoO and DEPS in adulthood.

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