Abstract P110: Early-Life Exposure to Severe Famine is Associated With Higher Methylation Level in the IGF2 Gene and Higher Total Cholesterol in Late Adulthood: The Genomic Research of the Chinese Great Famine (GRECF) Study

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the association between early life famine exposure and adulthood cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) risk.Methods: A total of 5,504 subjects were selected using their birthdate from national baseline data of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey to analyze the association between famine exposure in early life and CVDs risk in adulthood. CVDs was defined based on the self-reported doctor’s diagnosis.Results: The prevalence of CVDs in the unexposed group, fetal-exposed, infant-exposed, and preschool-exposed groups was 15.0%, 18.0%, 21.0%, and 18.3%, respectively. Compared with the unexposed group, fetal-exposed, infant-exposed and preschool-exposed groups had higher CVDs risk in adulthood (p < 0.05). Compared with the age-matched control group, infancy exposed to famine had a significantly higher adulthood CVDs risk (OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.15, 2.01; p = 0.006). The association seems to be stronger among population with higher education level (Pinteraction = 0.043). Sensitivity analysis revealed consistent association between early-life famine exposure and adult CVDs risk.Conclusion: Early life exposed to the China great famine may elevate the risk of CVDs in adulthood.

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Early-life exposure to severe famine and subsequent risk of depressive symptoms in late adulthood: the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.2018.116 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 213 (4) ◽

pp. 579-586 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Changwei Li ◽

Toni Miles ◽

Luqi Shen ◽

Ye Shen ◽

Tingting Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

Poisson Regression ◽

Early Life ◽

Time Window ◽

Critical Time ◽

Symptom Burden ◽

Late Adulthood ◽

Great Famine ◽

Famine Exposure

BackgroundThe Chinese Great Famine caused widespread starvation in 1959–1961. Its long-term association with depressive symptoms has not been studied.AimsTo estimate the burden of depressive symptoms and the association of famine exposure with depressive symptoms.MethodThe China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study is a nationwide representative survey of 17 708 Chinese adults aged ≥45. Propensity score matching and modified Poisson regression were used to evaluate the association between self-reported famine exposure in early life and depressive symptoms among the overall participants. Such associations were also assessed by developmental stage using modified Poisson regression and logistic regression.ResultsThe prevalence of depressive symptoms was 26.2% (95% CI 25.1–27.3%) in 2011. As defined by loss of family members because of starvation, 11.6% (95% CI 10.1–13.1%) of this population experienced severe famine. When compared with participants who did not experience starvation, those who had experienced severe famine during fetal, mid-childhood, young-teenage and early-adulthood stages had 1.87 (95% CI 1.36–2.55), 1.54 (95% CI 1.23–1.94), 1.47 (95% CI 1.09–2.00) and 1.77 (95% CI 1.42–2.21) times higher odds of having depressive symptoms in late adulthood, respectively. The first two trimesters of pregnancy were a critical time window during the fetal stage when severe famine had a stronger association with depressive symptoms. Famine during infant, toddler, preschool or teenage stages was not associated with depressive symptoms. Overall, famine contributed to 13.6% of the depressive symptom burden in this population.ConclusionsThe Chinese Great Famine contributed substantially to the burden of depressive symptoms in China.Declaration of interestNone.

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Early-Life Exposure to the Chinese Famine Is Associated with Higher Methylation Level in the INSR Gene in Later Adulthood

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-019-38596-6 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Zhenghe Wang ◽

Jieyun Song ◽

Yanhui Li ◽

Bin Dong ◽

Zhiyong Zou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Methylation Level ◽

Early Life ◽

Insr Gene ◽

Early Life Exposure

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Consequences of early life exposure to the 1983–1985 Ethiopian Great Famine on cognitive function in adults: a historical cohort study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038977 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. e038977

Author(s):

Getachew Arage ◽

Tefera Belachew ◽

Mubarek Abera ◽

Fedilu Abdulhay ◽

Misra Abdulahi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Early Life ◽

Function Score ◽

Historical Cohort ◽

Great Famine ◽

Historical Cohort Study ◽

Early Life Exposure ◽

Famine Exposure ◽

Cognitive Function Score

ObjectivesTo investigate the association between early life famine exposure and cognitive function in adults.DesignHistorical cohort studySettingNorth Wollo Zone, Northeast Ethiopia.ParticipantsWe recruited 1047 adult men and women aged 30–38 years who had history of early life exposure to Ethiopian great famine. Based on self-reported age and birth date, participants were categorised into famine exposed in early life (prenatal/postnatal) and non-exposed groups.Outcome measuresThe primary outcome measure of this study was cognitive function in adults after early life exposure to famine. Cognitive function was measured using Montreal Cognitive Assessment—basic. Associations between exposure and outcome variables were examined by linear regression analysis models.ResultsAdjusted for covariates, early life exposure to famine showed 1.29 (β=−1.29; 95% CI −2.16 to -0.52) points lower cognitive function score compared with non-exposed. Based on subanalysis for timing of famine exposure, postnatal exposure to famine resulted in 2.26 (β=−2.26; 95% CI −3.12 to -1.36) points lower cognitive function score compared with non-exposed groups. Prenatal famine exposure had 1.26 (β=−1.26; 95% CI −2.35 to 0.94) points lower cognitive function score although not statistically significant.ConclusionsFamine exposure in early life was associated with cognitive functions in adults. While the overall findings highlight the importance of optimal nutrition in early life for brain growth and development, the association observed between postnatal famine exposure and adult cognitive function may indicate the relative importance of learning and experience during early childhood for optimal brain development after birth. Further studies are needed to elucidate the potential mechanism behind this association.

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Abstract P205: Genome-Wide Epigenetic Study of Prenatal Famine Exposure and Blood Lipids in Late Adulthood: The Genomic Research of the Chinese Great Famine (GRECF) Study

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.139.suppl_1.p205 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 139 (Suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Changwei Li ◽

Zhenghe Wang ◽

Luqi Shen ◽

Ruiyuan Zhang ◽

Ye Shen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Lipids ◽

Genomic Research ◽

Late Adulthood ◽

Great Famine ◽

Genome Wide ◽

Famine Exposure ◽

Prenatal Famine

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Chemically Contaminated Eel Fed to Pregnant and Lactating Mouse Dams Causes Hyperactivity in Their Offspring

International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research ◽

10.1024/0300-9831/a000288 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 86 (1-2) ◽

pp. 36-47 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Imen Dridi ◽

Nidhal Soualeh ◽

Torsten Bohn ◽

Rachid Soulimani ◽

Jaouad Bouayed

Keyword(s):

Open Field ◽

Early Life ◽

Home Cage ◽

Anguilla Anguilla ◽

Acetylcholinesterase Activity ◽

Female Offspring ◽

Significant Inhibition ◽

Standard Diet ◽

Early Life Exposure ◽

Cage Test

Abstract.This study examined whether perinatal exposure to polluted eels (Anguilla anguilla L.) induces changes in the locomotor activity of offspring mice across lifespan (post-natal days (PNDs) 47 – 329), using the open field and the home cage activity tests. Dams were exposed during gestation and lactation, through diets enriched in eels naturally contaminated with pollutants including PCBs. Analysis of the eel muscle focused on the six non-dioxin-like (NDL) indicator PCBs (Σ6 NDL-PCBs: 28, 52, 101, 138, 153 and 180). Four groups of dams (n = 10 per group) received either a standard diet without eels or eels (0.8 mg/kg/day) containing 85, 216, or 400 ng/kg/day of ϵ6 NDL-PCBs. The open field test showed that early-life exposure to polluted eels increased locomotion in female offspring of exposed dams but not in males, compared to controls. This hyperlocomotion appeared later in life, at PNDs 195 and 329 (up to 32 % increase, p < 0.05). In addition, overactivity was observed in the home cage test at PND 305: exposed offspring females showed a faster overall locomotion speed (3.6 – 4.2 cm/s) than controls (2.9 cm/s, p <0.05); again, males remained unaffected. Covered distances in the home cage test were only elevated significantly in offspring females exposed to highest PCB concentrations (3411 ± 590 cm vs. 1377 ± 114 cm, p < 0.001). These results suggest that early-life exposure to polluted eels containing dietary contaminants including PCBs caused late, persistent and gender-dependent neurobehavioral hyperactive effects in offspring mice. Furthermore, female hyperactivity was associated with a significant inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex.

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