Malnutrition in the first year of life and personality at age 40

Abstract

Background Early childhood malnutrition is associated with cognitive and behavioral impairment during childhood and adolescence, but studies in adulthood are limited. Methods Using the NEO-PI-R personality inventory, we compared personality profiles at 37–43 years of age (mean 40.3 years, SD 1.9) of Barbadian adults who had experienced moderate to severe protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) in the first year of life (n=77) with healthy controls, who were former classmates of the index cases and were matched for age, sex and handedness in childhood (n=57). The previously malnourished participants had been rehabilitated, with good health and nutrition documented to 12 years of age, and study participants were followed longitudinally from childhood to 40 y. Group comparisons were adjusted for childhood and adolescent standard of living, with and without correcting for IQ. Results At the broad domain or factor level, previously malnourished participants had higher scores on Neuroticism and lower scores on Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness than did the healthy controls At the sub-domain or facet level, previously malnourished participants reported more anxiety, vulnerability, shyness and lowered sociability, less intellectual curiosity, greater suspiciousness of others, a more egocentric than altruistic orientation, and a lowered sense of efficacy or competence. Conclusions Malnutrition limited to the first year of life with good health and nutrition documented to 12 years of age, is associated with a significant overrepresentation of adult personality trait scores outside of the average range. This outcome has important implications for a variety of important life and mental health outcomes.

Childhood malnutrition and maltreatment are linked with personality disorder symptoms in adulthood: Results from a Barbados lifespan cohort

“…We have previously applied the NEO-PI-R in Barbados (Galler et al, 2013). In the current study, the 30 facet scales of the NEO-PI-R were used to create the NEO FFM PD prototype scores (Costa and McCrae, 1992; Widiger et al, 2013b).…”

“…We reported that malnutrition in the first year of life was associated with an overrepresentation of adult personality trait scores outside the average range on the five broad factors, as assessed by the NEO-PI-R Five-Factor Model of Personality (FFM) (Costa and McCrae, 1992)—including higher neuroticism and lower extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness than healthy controls (Galler et al, 2013). The survivors of malnutrition in this cohort also showed differences from controls in 17 of the 30 lower-order NEO-PI-R facets, displaying a personality profile with heightened anxiety, depression, and vulnerability to stress, lowered interpersonal orientation, lowered intellectual curiosity as well as withdrawal and distrust and a lowered sense of self-efficacy or competence.…”

Relationship between infant malnutrition and childhood maltreatment in a Barbados lifespan cohort

“…Each of these early exposures can have lasting effects on physical and mental health, including altered stress response (Puetz et al, 2016; Rosen et al, 2004); increased inflammatory factors (Bourke, Berkley, & Prendergast, 2016; Coelho et al, 2014), and increased risk for cognitive and mental health problems (Galler et al, 2012; 2013; Young & Widom, 2014). In addition, they likely share some of the same risk factors, such as strained family economic resources (Brown et al, 1998; Walker et al, 2007).…”

Prenatal protein malnutrition decreases KCNJ3 and 2DG activity in rat prefrontal cortex

“…There is strong evidence that exposure to perinatal malnutrition in humans is linked to cognitive impairment and to behavioral and neuropsychiatric disorders later in life, including an increased prevalence of attention deficits, antisocial personality disorders, and schizophrenia (Susser et al,1996; St Clair et al, 2005; Galler et al, 2012; Galler et al, 2013; Susser and St Clair, 2013). Studies in a rat model of prenatal protein malnutrition (PPM) have shown behavioral, anatomical, morphological and neurophysiological deficits in the adult rat, even after postnatal nutritional rehabilitation (Tonkiss and Galler, 1990; Galler et al, 1996; Morgane et al, 2003).…”