Childhood Maltreatment and Biological Aging in Middle Adulthood: The Role of Psychiatric Symptoms

• Published in: Biological psychiatry global open science Vol. 4; no. 5; p. 100341
• Main Authors: Widom, Cathy Spatz, Do, Hang (Heather), Miller, Quincy C., Javakhishvili, Magda, Eckstein Indik, Claire, Belsky, Daniel W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.09.2024; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anxiety; Archival Report; Biological aging; Childhood maltreatment; Longitudinal; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Psychiatric disorders; Childhood maltreatment; Anxiety; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Longitudinal; Biological aging; Psychiatric disorders
• ISSN: 2667-1743; 2667-1743
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2024.100341

Childhood maltreatment and psychiatric morbidity have each been associated with accelerated biological aging primarily through cross-sectional studies. Using data from a prospective longitudinal study of individuals with histories of childhood maltreatment and control participants followed into midlife, we tested 2 hypotheses examining whether 1) psychiatric symptoms mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and biological aging and 2) psychiatric symptoms of anxiety, depression, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) act in conjunction with childhood maltreatment to exacerbate the association of child maltreatment to aging. Children (ages 0–11 years) with documented histories of maltreatment and demographically matched control children were followed into adulthood (N = 607) and interviewed over several waves of the study. Depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms were assessed at mean ages of 29 (interview 1) and 40 (interview 2) years. Biological age was measured from blood chemistries collected later (mean age = 41 years) using the Klemera-Doubal method. Hypotheses were tested using linear regressions and path analyses. Adults with documented histories of childhood maltreatment showed more symptoms of depression, PTSD, and anxiety at both interviews and more advanced biological aging, compared with control participants. PTSD symptoms at both interviews and depression and anxiety symptoms only at interview 2 predicted accelerated biological aging. There was no evidence of mediation; however, anxiety and depression moderated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and biological aging. These new findings reveal the shorter- and longer-term longitudinal impact of PTSD on biological aging and the amplifying effect of anxiety and depression on the relationship between child maltreatment and biological aging. Childhood maltreatment and psychiatric morbidity are associated with biological aging. We used data from a prospective longitudinal study of children with documented histories of maltreatment and demographically matched control participants followed and interviewed in adulthood. Depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were assessed at ages 29 and 40 years, and biological age was measured from blood chemistries collected later. Adults with histories of childhood maltreatment showed more symptoms of depression, PTSD, and anxiety and more advanced biological aging compared with control participants. PTSD symptoms predicted accelerated biological aging longitudinally. Anxiety and depression amplified the relationship between child maltreatment and biological aging.