Shareefa Dalvie, Michael J Li, Mariah M Kalmin, Steven W Cole, Dan J Stein, Steven J Shoptaw
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase risk for mental and physical health disorders in adulthood, particularly in individuals from sexual and ethnic minority groups. The effects of ACEs on health may be mediated by the immune system. The exact mechanisms by which an environmental exposure, such as childhood adversity, can affect the immune system are still unknown. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether early adversity is associated with significant changes in the expression of a predefined set of immune-related genes, known as the conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA), in a diverse group (African American and Latino) of sexual minority men (SMM) (n = 259). Participants included HIV positive and negative males, with a median age of 31 years (range = 19-46 years), from the mSTUDY. Expression data from 53 CTRA genes were obtained at baseline and 12-month follow-up. Childhood adversity was measured with the 10-item ACEs questionnaire. Wilcoxon rank sum and chi-squared tests were used to assess differences in sociodemographic variables, HIV status, smoking, weekly alcohol use, and methamphetamine use between exposed (cumulative ACEs ≥ 1) and unexposed groups (cumulative ACEs = 0). As we had transcriptional data from two timepoints, linear mixed models were used to determine associations between ACEs (cumulative score, dichotomous measure (exposed/unexposed), childhood maltreatment, household dysfunction, abuse and neglect subscales) and CTRA gene expression. Exploratory subgroup analysis was conducted in younger (≤ median age) and older (> median age) participant groups. There were no statistically significant differences in sociodemographic variables and substance use between the exposed and unexposed groups. There were no significant associations between any of the ACEs variables and CTRA gene, suggesting that early adversity does not influence immune-related gene expression in a group of ethnically diverse SMM. Further studies are needed to assess the biological effects of ACEs in adulthood.
Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40653-024-00661-2.
期刊介绍：
Underpinned by a biopsychosocial approach, the Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma presents original research and prevention and treatment strategies for understanding and dealing with symptoms and disorders related to the psychological effects of trauma experienced by children and adolescents during childhood and where the impact of these experiences continues into adulthood. The journal also examines intervention models directed toward the individual, family, and community, new theoretical models and approaches, and public policy proposals and innovations. In addition, the journal promotes rigorous investigation and debate on the human capacity for agency, resilience and longer-term healing in the face of child and adolescent trauma. With a multidisciplinary approach that draws input from the psychological, medical, social work, sociological, public health, legal and education fields, the journal features research, intervention approaches and evidence-based programs, theoretical articles, specific review articles, brief reports and case studies, and commentaries on current and/or controversial topics. The journal also encourages submissions from less heard voices, for example in terms of geography, minority status or service user perspectives.
Among the topics examined in the Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma:
The effects of childhood maltreatment
Loss, natural disasters, and political conflict
Exposure to or victimization from family or community violence
Racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation or class discrimination
Physical injury, diseases, and painful or debilitating medical treatments
The impact of poverty, social deprivation and inequality
Barriers and facilitators on pathways to recovery
The Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma is an important resource for practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and academics whose work is centered on children exposed to traumatic events and adults exposed to traumatic events as children.
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