Biological Embedding of Childhood Adversity: From Physiological Mechanisms to Clinical Implications

Biological Embedding of Childhood Adversity: From Physiological Mechanisms to Clinical Implications

Biology

Anne E. Berens, Charles A. Nelson III, Sarah K. G. Jensen

BMC Medicine

Vol. 15

No. 135

2017

Springer Nature Link

Journal article

English

Open Access

Adverse psychosocial exposures in early life, namely experiences such as child maltreatment, caregiver stress or depression, and domestic or community violence, have been associated in epidemiological studies with increased lifetime risk of adverse outcomes, including diabetes, heart disease, cancers, and psychiatric illnesses. Additional work has shed light on the potential molecular mechanisms by which early adversity becomes “biologically embedded” in altered physiology across body systems. This review surveys evidence on such mechanisms and calls on researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and other practitioners to act upon evidence.

Kristen Walker