Adverse childhood experiences do not relate to cardiovascular or baroreflex reactivity to acute mental stress in the laboratory

Abstract

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are highly prevalent and associated with a wide range of adverse behavioral, psychiatric, and physical health outcomes in adulthood. Given the robust link between ACEs and poor health, identifying underlying physiological mechanisms is crucial. One proposed mechanism is cardiovascular stress reactivity, the increase in heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) in response to mental stress. The present study examined the relationship between ACEs and cardiovascular reactivity and additionally investigated baroreflex function as a potential upstream regulator of the stress response. Participants (N = 130, M = 20.43 years, 65 % female, 62 % white) completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and a socially evaluative mental arithmetic stressor in the laboratory. HR, BP, and baroreflex function was measured during both baseline and stress conditions. Baroreflex function was assessed using the sequence method. Stress reactivity was defined as the change in HR, BP, or baroreflex function from baseline to stress. HR and BP significantly increased and baroreflex function significantly decreased in response to mental stress (all p < 0.001). However, after controlling for sex, cohort, baseline values, and perceived stress, no significant associations emerged between CTQ scores, total or subscales, and either cardiovascular or baroreflex reactivity (all p ≥ 0.55). In contrast to other studies that report ACEs are related to exaggerated or blunted HR and BP, these findings suggest that ACEs are not related to cardiovascular reactivity. ACEs were not related to baroreflex stress reactivity either but since this is the first study to examine this relationship, more research is needed.