Department of Psychiatry, Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, Ohio State University College of Medicine, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Psychosom Med. 2011 Jan;73(1):16-22. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0b013e31820573b6. Epub 2010 Dec 10.
To address the question of whether childhood abuse and other adversities have lasting, detectable consequences for inflammation and cell aging late in life, and whether the effects are large enough to be discernible beyond that of a major chronic stressor, dementia family caregiving. Previous research on the physical health consequences of childhood abuse and other adversities has been based on data from young or middle-aged adults.
In this community sample of 132 healthy older adults (mean age = 69.70 years; standard deviation = 10.14), including 58 dementia family caregivers and 74 non-caregivers, blood samples were analyzed for interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and telomere length, a measure of cell aging. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale.
After controlling for age, caregiving status, gender, body mass index, exercise, and sleep, the presence of multiple childhood adversities was related to both heightened IL-6 (0.37 ± 0.03 log10 pg/mL versus 0.44 ± 0.03 log10 pg/mL) and shorter telomeres (6.51 ± 0.17 Kb versus 5.87 ± 0.20 Kb), compared with the absence of adversity; the telomere difference could translate into a 7- to 15-year difference in life span. Abuse was associated with heightened IL-6 and TNF-α levels; for TNF-α, this relationship was magnified in caregivers compared with controls. Moreover, abuse and caregiving status were associated significantly and independently with higher levels of depressive symptoms.
Adverse childhood events are related to continued vulnerability among older adults, enhancing the impact of chronic stressors. Childhood adversities cast a very long shadow.
探讨儿童期虐待和其他逆境是否对晚年的炎症和细胞衰老产生持久、可检测的影响，以及这些影响是否大到足以超越痴呆症家庭照料这一主要慢性应激源而被察觉。以前关于儿童期虐待和其他逆境对身体健康影响的研究是基于年轻或中年成年人的数据。
在这项由 132 名健康老年人（平均年龄=69.70 岁；标准差=10.14）组成的社区样本中，包括 58 名痴呆症家庭照料者和 74 名非照料者，分析了白细胞介素（IL）-6、肿瘤坏死因子（TNF）-α 和端粒长度（细胞衰老的一种测量指标）的血液样本。使用流行病学研究中心抑郁量表评估抑郁症状。
在控制年龄、照料状况、性别、体重指数、运动和睡眠后，多种儿童期逆境的存在与更高的 IL-6（0.37±0.03 log10 pg/mL 与 0.44±0.03 log10 pg/mL）和更短的端粒（6.51±0.17 Kb 与 5.87±0.20 Kb）有关，与没有逆境相比；端粒差异可能意味着寿命延长 7-15 年。虐待与更高的 IL-6 和 TNF-α 水平有关；对于 TNF-α，这种关系在照料者中比在对照组中更为明显。此外，虐待和照料状况与更高水平的抑郁症状显著且独立相关。
儿童时期的逆境与老年人的持续脆弱性有关，加剧了慢性应激源的影响。儿童时期的逆境会产生非常深远的影响。
