Adverse Childhood Experiences and the Consequences on Neurobiological, Psychosocial, and Somatic Conditions Across the Lifespan

Abstract

Introduction: Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) such as sexual and physical abuse or neglect are frequent in childhood and constitute a massive stressor with long-lasting adverse effects on the brain, mental and physical health.The aim of this qualitative review is to present a concise overview of the present literature on the impact of ACE on neurobiology, mental and somatic health in later adulthood.Methods: The authors reviewed the existing literature on the impact of ACE on neurobiology, mental and somatic health in later adulthood and summarized the results for a concise qualitative overview.Results: In adulthood, the history of ACE can result in complex clinical profiles with several co-occurring mental and somatic disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, borderline personality disorder, obesity and diabetes. Although a general stress effect in the development of the disorders and neural alterations can be assumed, the role of type and timing of ACE is of particular interest in terms of prevention and treatment of ACE-related mental and somatic conditions. It has been suggested that during certain vulnerable developmental phases the risk for subsequent ACE-related disorders is increased. Moreover, emerging evidence points to sensitive periods and specificity of ACE-subtypes in the development of neurobiological alterations, e.g., volumetric and functional changes in the amygdala and hippocampus.Conclusion: Longitudinal studies are needed to investigate complex ACE-related characteristics and mechanisms relevant for mental and somatic disorders by integrating state of the art knowledge and methods. By identifying and validating psychosocial and somatic risk factors and diagnostic markers one might improve the development of innovative somatic and psychological treatment options for individuals suffering from ACE-related disorders.

Maternal childhood and lifetime traumatic life events and infant bronchiolitis

“…Markers of anxiety, such as the startle response, have been shown to be heighted in children of women reporting exposure to child abuse even after adjustment for maternal depression and the child's own trauma exposure . While the mechanisms driving these associations remain speculative, likely involving both behavioural and biological factors, the sensitivity of children to trauma is well recognised . The long‐lasting neurobiological effects of traumas during childhood may contribute to the differential associations we observe when compared to total lifetime traumatic experiences.…”

Applying concepts of life course theory and life course epidemiology to the study of bladder health and lower urinary tract symptoms among girls and women

“…Continence requires central nervous system maturation and adequate functioning throughout the life course, including recognition and interpretation of the physical sensation to urinate, distinction between different degrees of bladder fullness and urge, planning and execution of toileting behaviors (eg, requesting permission to use a restroom), and suppression of urge until a toilet is available 46 . Consistent with the Principle of Timing and critical and sensitive periods , the consequences of ACEs may differ depending on their timing in relation to (a) development of brain regions that govern executive control, 42 (b) sensitive periods during which the central nervous system is particularly vulnerable to stressors, 42 and (c) establishment of daytime and nighttime bladder control 44 . Thus, exposure to ACEs should be assessed prenatally and during infancy, as well as during childhood and adolescence.…”

Childhood Trauma, Cognitive Emotion Regulation and Motivation for Behavior Change Among Clients of Opioid Substitution Treatment With and Without Past Year Synthetic Cathinone Use During Therapy

“…Previous results indicate that childhood neglect may predict deficits in the recognition of positive emotions (Young and Widom, 2014), that might explain difficulties in applying adaptive strategies, such as refocus on planning, positive reappraisal or putting a stressful life event into a more acceptable perspective. On a neurobiological level, others found that right amygdale volume mediates the association between neglect and anxiety (Roth et al, 2018) or that early exposure to either emotional or physical neglect is related to amygdala hypertrophy and mood disorders (Herzog and Schmahl, 2018). Increased risk for anxiety and mood disorders thus further reduce the capability to focus on positive outcomes in stressful live situations.…”