scholarly journals An experimental demonstration that early-life competitive disadvantage accelerates telomere loss

2015 ◽  
Vol 282 (1798) ◽  
pp. 20141610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Nettle ◽  
Pat Monaghan ◽  
Robert Gillespie ◽  
Ben Brilot ◽  
Thomas Bedford ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
Plasma Lipid ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Adult Survival ◽  
Early Life Adversity ◽  
Telomere Attrition ◽  
Delayed Effects ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Competitive Disadvantage ◽  
Telomere Loss

Adverse experiences in early life can exert powerful delayed effects on adult survival and health. Telomere attrition is a potentially important mechanism in such effects. One source of early-life adversity is the stress caused by competitive disadvantage. Although previous avian experiments suggest that competitive disadvantage may accelerate telomere attrition, they do not clearly isolate the effects of competitive disadvantage from other sources of variation. Here, we present data from an experiment in European starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris ) that used cross-fostering to expose siblings to divergent early experience. Birds were assigned either to competitive advantage (being larger than their brood competitors) or competitive disadvantage (being smaller than their brood competitors) between days 3 and 12 post-hatching. Disadvantage did not affect weight gain, but it increased telomere attrition, leading to shorter telomere length in disadvantaged birds by day 12. There were no effects of disadvantage on oxidative damage as measured by plasma lipid peroxidation. We thus found strong evidence that early-life competitive disadvantage can accelerate telomere loss. This could lead to faster age-related deterioration and poorer health in later life.

scholarly journals Is Early Life Adversity a Trigger towards Inflammageing?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myriam Merz ◽  
Jonathan D. Turner
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Early Life Adversity ◽  
Chronic Viral Infections ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Distinct Features ◽  
Near Future

There are many ‘faces’ of early life adversity (ELA), such as childhood trauma, institutionalization, abuse or exposure to environmental toxins. These have been implicated in the onset and severity of a wide range of chronic non-communicable diseases later in life. The later-life disease risk has a well-established immunological component. This raises the question as to whether accelerated immune-ageing mechanistically links early-life adversity to the lifelong health trajectory resulting in either ‘poor’ or ‘healthy’ ageing. Here we examine observational and mechanistic studies of ELA and inflammageing, highlighting common and distinct features in these two life stages. Many biological processes appear in common including reduction in telomere length, increased immuno-senescence, metabolic distortions and chronic (viral) infections. We propose that ELA shapes the developing immune, endocrine and nervous system in a non-reversible way, creating a distinct phenotype with accelerated immuno-senescence and systemic inflammation. We believe that ELA acts as an accelerator for inflammageing and age-related diseases. Furthermore, we now have the tools and cohorts to be able to dissect the interaction between early life adversity and later life phenotype. This should, in the near future, allow us to identify the ecological and mechanistic processes that are involved in ‘healthy’ or accelerated immune-ageing.

scholarly journals Stress exposure in early post-natal life reduces telomere length: an experimental demonstration in a long-lived seabird

2014 ◽  
Vol 281 (1782) ◽  
pp. 20133151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine A. Herborn ◽  
Britt J. Heidinger ◽  
Winnie Boner ◽  
Jose C. Noguera ◽  
Aileen Adam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Telomere Length ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Life History Stage ◽  
Experimental Demonstration ◽  
Stress Exposure ◽  
Telomere Attrition ◽  
Delayed Effects ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Telomere Loss

Exposure to stressors early in life is associated with faster ageing and reduced longevity. One important mechanism that could underlie these late life effects is increased telomere loss. Telomere length in early post-natal life is an important predictor of subsequent lifespan, but the factors underpinning its variability are poorly understood. Recent human studies have linked stress exposure to increased telomere loss. These studies have of necessity been non-experimental and are consequently subjected to several confounding factors; also, being based on leucocyte populations, where cell composition is variable and some telomere restoration can occur, the extent to which these effects extend beyond the immune system has been questioned. In this study, we experimentally manipulated stress exposure early in post-natal life in nestling European shags ( Phalacrocorax aristotelis ) in the wild and examined the effect on telomere length in erythrocytes. Our results show that greater stress exposure during early post-natal life increases telomere loss at this life-history stage, and that such an effect is not confined to immune cells. The delayed effects of increased telomere attrition in early life could therefore give rise to a ‘time bomb’ that reduces longevity in the absence of any obvious phenotypic consequences early in life.

scholarly journals Blocking CRH receptors in adults mitigates age-related memory impairments provoked by early-life adversity

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 515-523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annabel K. Short ◽  
Pamela M. Maras ◽  
Aidan L. Pham ◽  
Autumn S. Ivy ◽  
Tallie Z. Baram
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
Early Life Adversity ◽  
Memory Impairments ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Crh Receptors

scholarly journals The influence of weather conditions during gestation on life histories in a wild Arctic ungulate

2016 ◽  
Vol 283 (1841) ◽  
pp. 20161760 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathieu Douhard ◽  
Leif Egil Loe ◽  
Audun Stien ◽  
Christophe Bonenfant ◽  
R. Justin Irvine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Svalbard Reindeer ◽  
Long Term Study ◽  
Age Related

The internal predictive adaptive response (internal PAR) hypothesis predicts that individuals born in poor conditions should start to reproduce earlier if they are likely to have reduced performance in later life. However, whether this is the case remains unexplored in wild populations. Here, we use longitudinal data from a long-term study of Svalbard reindeer to examine age-related changes in adult female life-history responses to environmental conditions experienced in utero as indexed by rain-on-snow (ROS utero ). We show that females experiencing high ROS utero had reduced reproductive success only from 7 years of age, independent of early reproduction. These individuals were able to maintain the same annual reproductive success between 2 and 6 years as phenotypically superior conspecifics that experienced low ROS utero . Young females born after high ROS utero engage in reproductive events at lower body mass (about 2.5 kg less) than those born after low ROS utero . The mean fitness of females that experienced poor environmental conditions in early life was comparable with that of females exposed to good environmental conditions in early life. These results are consistent with the idea of internal PAR and suggest that the life-history responses to early-life conditions can buffer the delayed effects of weather on population dynamics.

scholarly journals Hair glucocorticoids are associated with childhood adversity, depressive symptoms and reduced global and lobar grey matter in Generation Scotland

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Green ◽  
Aleks Stolicyn ◽  
Mathew A. Harris ◽  
Xueyi Shen ◽  
Liana Romaniuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Childhood Adversity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Early Life Adversity ◽  
Brain Volumes ◽  
Stable Measure ◽  
Regional Brain ◽  
Generation Scotland

AbstractHypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation has been commonly reported in major depressive disorder (MDD), but with considerable heterogeneity of results; potentially due to the predominant use of acute measures of an inherently variable/phasic system. Chronic longer-term measures of HPA-axis activity have yet to be systematically examined in MDD, particularly in relation to brain phenotypes, and in the context of early-life/contemporaneous stress. Here, we utilise a temporally stable measure of cumulative HPA-axis function (hair glucocorticoids) to investigate associations between cortisol, cortisone and total glucocorticoids with concurrent measures of (i) lifetime-MDD case/control status and current symptom severity, (ii) early/current-life stress and (iii) structural neuroimaging phenotypes, in N = 993 individuals from Generation Scotland (mean age = 59.1 yrs). Increased levels of hair cortisol were significantly associated with reduced global and lobar brain volumes with reductions in the frontal, temporal and cingulate regions (βrange = −0.057 to −0.104, all PFDR < 0.05). Increased levels of hair cortisone were significantly associated with MDD (lifetime-MDD status, current symptoms, and severity; βrange = 0.071 to 0.115, all PFDR = < 0.05), with early-life adversity (β = 0.083, P = 0.017), and with reduced global and regional brain volumes (global: β = −0.059, P = 0.043; nucleus accumbens: β = −0.075, PFDR = 0.044). Associations with total glucocorticoids followed a similar pattern to the cortisol findings. In this large community-based sample, elevated glucocorticoids were significantly associated with MDD, with early, but not later-life stress, and with reduced global and regional brain phenotypes. These findings provide important foundations for future mechanistic studies to formally explore causal relationships between early adversity, chronic rather than acute measures of glucocorticoids, and neurobiological associations relevant to the aetiology of MDD.

scholarly journals Birth weight is associated with brain tissue volumes seven decades later, but not with age-associated changes to brain structure

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily N. W. Wheater ◽  
Susan D. Shenkin ◽  
Susana Muñoz Maniega ◽  
Maria Valdés Hernández ◽  
Joanna M. Wardlaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Brain Tissue ◽  
Brain Structure ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Cortical Surface ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Mri Features

AbstractBirth weight, an indicator of fetal growth, is associated with cognitive outcomes in early life and risk of metabolic and cardiovascular disease across the life course. Cognitive ability in early life is predictive of cognitive ability in later life. Brain health in older age, defined by MRI features, is associated with cognitive performance. However, little is known about how variation in normal birth weight impacts on brain structure in later life. In a community dwelling cohort of participants in their early seventies we tested the hypothesis that birthweight is associated with the following MRI features: total brain (TB), grey matter (GM) and normal appearing white matter (NAWM) volumes; whiter matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume; a general factor of fractional anisotropy (gFA) and peak width skeletonised mean diffusivity (PSMD) across the white matter skeleton. We also investigated the associations of birthweight with cortical surface area, volume and thickness. Birthweight was positively associated with TB, GM and NAWM volumes in later life (β ≥ 0.194), and with regional cortical surface area but not gFA, PSMD, WMH volume, or cortical volume or thickness. These positive relationships appear to be explained by larger intracranial volume rather than by age-related tissue atrophy, and are independent of body height and weight in adulthood. This suggests that larger birthweight is linked to increased brain tissue reserve in older life, rather than a resilience to age-related changes in brain structure, such as tissue atrophy or WMH volume.Significance StatementCognitive brain ageing carries a high personal, societal and financial cost and understanding its developmental origins is important for identifying possible preventative strategies. In a sample of older participants from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 we were able to explore the neurobiological correlates of birth weight, which is indicative of the fetal experience. We find that higher birth weight is related to larger brain tissue volumes in later life, but does not modify the trajectory of age-related change. This suggests that early life growth confers preserved differentiation, rather than differential preservation with regards to brain reserve. That these effects are detectable into later life indicates that this variable may be valuable biomarker in the epidemiology of ageing.

scholarly journals Trajectories of Mother-Infant Communication: An Experiential Measure of the Impacts of Early Life Adversity

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren Granata ◽  
Alissa Valentine ◽  
Jason L. Hirsch ◽  
Jennifer Honeycutt ◽  
Heather Brenhouse
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Care ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Maternal Separation ◽  
Developmental Trajectories ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Developmental Trajectory ◽  
Acoustic Properties ◽  
Emission Rates ◽  
Acoustic Parameters ◽  
Early Life Adversity

Caretaking stability in the early life environment supports neurobehavioral development, while instability and neglect constitute adverse environments that can alter maturational processes. Research in humans suggests that different types of early life adversity (ELA) can have differential effects on caretaker relationships and later cognitive and social development; however, identifying mechanistic underpinnings will require animal models with translational validity. Two common rodent models, maternal separation (MS) and limited bedding (LB), influence the mother-infant relationship during a critical window of development. We hypothesized that these paradigms may affect the development of communication strategies on the part of the pup. Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) are a care-eliciting mechanism and ethologically relevant response to stressors in the rat pup. USV emission rates and acoustic parameters change throughout early development, presenting the opportunity to define developmental milestones in USVs that would reflect neurobehavioral aberrations if disrupted. This study investigated the effects of MS or LB on the dam-pup relationship by quantifying pup USVs, maternal behavior, and the relationship between the two. First, we used a generalized additive model approach to establish typical developmental trajectories of USV acoustic properties and determine windows of change in MS or LB rearing. Additionally, we quantified maternal behaviors and the predictability of maternal care sequences using an entropy rate calculation. MS and LB each shifted the developmental trajectories of USV acoustic parameters and call types in a sex-specific manner. MS more often impacted male USVs, while LB impacted female USVs. MS dams spent more time passive nursing, and LB dams spent more time on the nest. The predictability of maternal care was associated with the rate of USV emissions exclusively in females. Taken together, findings demonstrate sex- and model-specific effects of rearing environments on a novel developmental trajectory involving the mother-infant relationship, facilitating the translation of animal ELA paradigms to assess later-life consequences.

scholarly journals Adult Personal Network Characteristics Associated with Early Life Adversity

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 924-924
Author(s):  
Janae Briggs ◽  
Stephanie Child
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Personal Network ◽  
Early Life Adversity ◽  
Network Characteristics ◽  
Subjective Assessments ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Close Family

Abstract Early life adversity (ELA) is associated with poor health through social and economic pathways. ELA also shapes cognitive and emotional development, including self-perception, social attachment and mental well-being. As such, ELA may shape later life health through social relationships, yet few studies have examined these associations. Data from the UC Berkeley Social Network Study were used to examine ELA measured retrospectively and current personal network characteristics among young (21-30 years) and older adults (50-70 years). ELA was operationalized as a summary of six experiences occurring before age 18 (e.g., parents’ divorce/separation, violence/drug use in the home, etc.). Personal network characteristics included objective measures, such as the number of ties who provide or receive various types of support, and subjective assessments about the adequacy of support received. Multivariate regression models adjusted for gender, race/ethnicity, and level of education. Among young adults, ELA was associated with more ties who rely upon the ego for support (b=0.15, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.28, p=0.02). Among older adults, ELA was associated with more ties named as either an advisor (b=0.14, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.21, p=0.02) or difficult/demanding (b=0.12, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.21, p&lt;0.01). Furthermore, ELA was associated with less confidence in family support available (b= -0.09, 95% CI: -0.16, -0.03, p&lt;0.01) and fewer emotionally close family members (b= -0.18, 95% CI: -0.32, -0.03, p=0.02) among older adults. In conclusion, clear differences emerged in network characteristics by exposure to ELA, particularly among older adults. The findings highlight potential pathways through which ELA patterns later life health.

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