Maltreatment Linked to Higher Inflammation in Girls

Girls who are abused during their early life have higher inflammation levels than boys who are maltreated and other kids who did not experience abuse, reports a new study. This conclusion may forecast chronic mental and physical health problems in midlife. The findings of the study are published in the journal Developmental Psychobiology.// The study led by psychologist Katherine Ehrlich is the first to investigate the connection between low-grade inflammation during childhood and abuse.

Inflammation plays an important role in several chronic diseases of aging, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, obesity as well as mental health outcomes, and the findings imply that maltreatment's link with inflammation does not rest dormant before emerging in adulthood. Instead, the study reveals that traumatic encounters have a much more immediate impact.

The study examined 155 kids aged 8-12 from low-income backgrounds who attended a weeklong day camp. The sample was racially diverse and included both maltreated and non-maltreated kids. Information on children's exposure to abuse was captured by utilizing the Department of Human Services records about maltreatment experiences in families.

The team surveyed five biomarkers of low-grade inflammation using non-fasting blood samples from the kids.

Results revealed that girls who had been abused over multiple periods or had multiple kinds of exposures had the highest levels of inflammation. For boys, exposure to maltreatment was not reflected in higher levels of inflammation, but the study author cautioned against drawing conclusions without additional investigation targeted to boys.



Source-Medindia