Abstract
In order to evaluate the effects of specific forms of childhood maltreatment (CM) upon adult C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations, and to further describe the potentially confounding role that recent life stress and depression hold in that relationship, 221 participants from rural Australia (M age = 44yr, SD = 17.8yr) completed self-report questionnaires and provided a blood sample. There were no sex differences in any variables across the 91 males and 130 females, but depression status did confound the association between global CM and CRP. The specific aspect of CM was identified as physical and mental health abuse, and this was significantly associated with CRP level in participants with depressive symptoms and those without. There was no significant confound from recent life stressors. Results hold implications for the diagnosis of CM-related CRP elevation and (potentially) depression.
Highlights
Childhood Maltreatment, Immunity, and Mental IllnessA great deal of research has reported on the association between childhood maltreatment (CM) and the later development of mental illness in adulthood [1, 2]
The exact pathways between CM and adult mental illness are not yet completely clear, one that has received support is via the innate immune system, which provides a first line of defense against pathogens as well as contributing to the adaptive set of responses known as ‘sickness behavior’ [3]
Recent Life Stressors were measured via dichotomous responses to the 14-item Recent Life Stress scale developed for the Hawaii Personality and Health Cohort Study (HPHCS), a population-based cohort participating in a longitudinal study of personality and health spanning 40 years from childhood to midlife [21]
Summary
A great deal of research has reported on the association between childhood maltreatment (CM) and the later development of mental illness in adulthood [1, 2]. The exact pathways between CM and adult mental illness are not yet completely clear, one that has received support is via the innate immune system, which provides a first line of defense against pathogens as well as contributing to the adaptive set of responses known as ‘sickness behavior’ [3] These responses include lethargy, fatigue, poor sleep, decreased appetite, psychomotor retardation and cognitive impairment, which are core diagnostic criteria for Major depressive Disorder (MDD) [4]. The associations between specific types of CM and elevated adult CRP remain yet to be firmly established In their meta-analysis of 18 studies (16,870 individuals) for CM and CRP, [12] found “evidence that individual types of trauma exposure impact differentially on the inflammatory markers” The prevalence of depression among Australian rural and city dwellers is comparable [17], the former resort to suicide more often than their depressed counterparts who live in cities [18], further justifying attention to this population
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