Gender- and age-specific associations of childhood maltreatment with peripheral serum inflammatory cytokines in middle school students

Abstract

BackgroundThe impact of childhood maltreatment on multiple inflammatory cytokines among middle school students remains to be elucidated. This study aimed to examine the associations of different types of childhood maltreatment with peripheral serum inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-10, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α) in middle school students, and to explore the differences in these associations between boys and girls and between late (≥15 and<20 years) and early (≥11 and <15 years) adolescence.MethodsA total of 1122 students were recruited from a boarding middle school. Each participant was asked to respond to a detailed questionnaire on childhood maltreatment, from whom one blood sample was drawn via venous blood.ResultsIn the overall sample there was no association between childhood maltreatment and peripheral serum inflammatory cytokines; (2) emotional abuse was significantly correlated with IL-1β only in girls (B = -0.16; 95% CI, -0.28~-0.03; p = 0.06); (3) in late adolescence, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and childhood maltreatment had marked link with IL-8 (B = 0.39; 95%CI, 0.16~0.63; p = 0.01; B =0.20; 95% CI, 0.04~0.37; p = 0.08; B = 0.50; 95% CI, 0.18~0.82; p = 0.01, respectively).ConclusionThese findings also strengthened an inference regarding the effects of childhood maltreatment on inflammation of students in late adolescence.

Obesity, inflammation, and depression in adolescents

“…Additionally, we found that significant differences in inflammatory factor levels between the control and MDD groups were not retained when ELS was adjusted. This is indicative of the potential role of ELS in inflammation and (45)(46)(47)(48). Thus, future studies are warranted to further explore the relationship between ELS and inflammation, especially in children and adolescents.…”

Subclinical structural atypicality of retinal thickness and its association with gray matter volume in the visual cortex of maltreated children

“…Despite various preventive efforts by the World Health Organization (WHO) and many nations—ranging from epidemiological studies and social awareness campaigns to changes in laws 3 —biological perspectives on early detection efforts remain limited. Several studies have explored potential biomarkers for the early detection of childhood maltreatment, including brain MRI 4 – 8 , epigenomic analyses 9 – 11 , and hormone and cytokine 12 – 14 measurements. However, these investigations are largely pilot studies, lacking established indicators and remaining in the early stages of exploring a wide range of possible biomarkers that reflect childhood maltreatment features.…”

Subclinical structural atypicality of the retinal thickness and association with gray matter volume of the visual cortex in maltreated children

“…The World Health Organization (WHO) and many nations have made various preventive efforts for the early detection of child maltreatment through epidemiological studies, social awareness campaigns, and changes in laws [2], but limited effort from a biological perspective. Studies have attempted to nd biological characteristics that would contribute to the development of biomarkers for the early detection of maltreated children (CM), including brain MRI [3][4][5][6][7], epigenome [8][9][10], and hormone and cytokine [11][12][13] measurements. However, these remain largely pilot studies; there are no established indicators and are in the early stages of exploring a wide range of possible biomarkers that re ect CM.…”