Relationships between childhood trauma and multiple sclerosis: A systematic review

Polick, Carri S.; Polick, Scott R.; Stoddard, Sarah A.

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2022.110981

Cited by 17 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…The authors did not find any significant relationship between MS diagnosis and other forms of surgeries occurring in childhood (Lunny et al, 2013). A systematic review similar to our study was conducted by Polick et al (2022) who assessed the relationship between ACEs and MS physical clinical features. Most of the studies included in this review describe the association between ACEs, the prevalence of MS, and the physical clinical features of the disease, including fatigue, pain, disability, age at onset, and relapses…”

Section: F I G U Esupporting

confidence: 57%

“…The number of ACEs during childhood is associated with adverse outcomes in MS in a dose–response relationship. Individuals with ACEs are more likely to experience obesity and tobacco use, indirectly contributing to the development and progression of MS (Polick et al., 2022). Exposure to ACEs manifests as functional and structural changes in the brain, such as changes in the cortical volumes, the activation pattern of the brain during stress, and connectivity of white matter (Wan et al., 2022).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Association of adverse childhood experiences with adulthood multiple sclerosis: A systematic review of observational studies

et al. 2023

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Introduction Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are proposed to increase the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life. This systematic review aimed to explore the correlation between ACEs and MS development, age of onset, quality of life in MS patients and MS relapse rates. Methods We searched a total of six databases in June 2022 and retrieved the relevant studies. The population included adult (18+) individuals who either had been diagnosed or were at risk for developing MS and also had exposure to ACEs. Our primary outcomes include the risks of MS development, age of MS onset, and MS relapse rate in patients who were exposed to different types of ACEs. Results A total of 11 studies were included in our review. A study reported that among 300 women diagnosed with MS, 71 (24%) reported a history of childhood abuse; moreover, with further research, it was concluded that ACEs were associated with the development of MS. Abuse that occurred 2–3 times per week was associated with an 18.81‐fold increased risk of having MS when compared to the unexposed sample. The relapse rate of MS was found to be substantially greater in severe cases of ACEs compared to individuals who did not report any ACEs. Conclusions Results support a significant association between ACEs and the development of MS; individuals with a positive history of ACEs develop MS symptoms earlier. Moreover, the severity of ACEs is also linked with increased relapse rates of MS.

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Section: F I G U Esupporting

confidence: 57%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association of adverse childhood experiences with adulthood multiple sclerosis: A systematic review of observational studies

et al. 2023

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“…Recently, there has been growing interest in the association between childhood stress and immune mediated diseases including MS. 6,7 While the literature on this topic is still scarce, preliminary evidence suggests that childhood stress is associated with decreased health-related quality of life and increased fatigue in people with MS (PwMS) 8,9 . The literature examining the relationship between childhood stress and adversity with MS related outcomes is currently limited by a failure to include a lifetime approach to the assessment of stressful life events 10 . The childhood stress experience impacts the adult stress experience (e.g., increased perception of stress, pain), and failure to account for both could limit insight on this topic 11,12 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resilience, mental health, sleep, and smoking mediate pathways between lifetime stressors and Multiple Sclerosis severity

Polick,

Darwish,

de Olivera

et al. 2024

Preprint

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IntroLifetime stressors (e.g., poverty, violence, discrimination) have been linked to Multiple Sclerosis (MS) features; yet mechanistic pathways and relationships with cumulative disease severity remain nebulous. Further, protective factors like resilience, that may attenuate the effects of stressors on outcomes, are seldom evaluated.AimTo deconstruct pathways between lifetime stressors and cumulative severity on MS outcomes, accounting for resilience.MethodsAdults with MS (N=924) participated in an online survey through the National MS Society listserv. Structural Equation Modeling was used to examine the direct and indirect effect of lifetime stressors (count/severity) on MS severity (self-reported disability, relapse burden, fatigue, pain intensity and interference), via resilience, mental health (anxiety and depression), sleep disturbance, and smoking.ResultsThe final analytic model had excellent fit (GFI=0.998). Lifetime stressors had a direct relationship with MS severity (β=0.27, p<.001). Resilience, mental health, sleep disturbance, and smoking significantly mediated the relationship between lifetime stressors and MS severity. The total effect of mediation was significant (β=0.45).ConclusionsThis work provides foundational evidence to inform conceptualization of pathways by which stress could influence MS disease burden. Resilience may attenuate effects of stressors, while poor mental health, smoking, and sleep disturbances may exacerbate their impact. Parallel with usual care, these mediators could be targets for early multimodal therapies to improve disease course.HighlightsLifetime stressors directly and indirectly relate to MS severity.Resilience, mental health, sleep, and smoking were mediators.Resilience attenuated the effects of stressors on mental health, sleep, and smoking.Multi-modal interventions are needed to help improve MS symptom severity.

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“…1 Developmental exposure to IPV can also raise the risk of later engagement in violent relationships, potentially leading to an intergenerational cycle of violence. 1 Of relevance to people with MS and their families, adverse childhood experiences may increase the risk of children later developing MS. 6 People with MS who report prior traumatic experiences may have an earlier onset of illness and higher relapse rates, but these findings require replication and prospective study. 6 A recent large prospective cohort study reported an association between childhood emotional and sexual traumatic experiences and the future development of MS. Also, it demonstrated an increased likelihood of MS when women experienced multiple types of childhood abuse.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1 Of relevance to people with MS and their families, adverse childhood experiences may increase the risk of children later developing MS. 6 People with MS who report prior traumatic experiences may have an earlier onset of illness and higher relapse rates, but these findings require replication and prospective study. 6 A recent large prospective cohort study reported an association between childhood emotional and sexual traumatic experiences and the future development of MS. Also, it demonstrated an increased likelihood of MS when women experienced multiple types of childhood abuse. 7 This research suggests an exposure-response relationship between adverse childhood experiences and the future risk of MS. One could hypothesize that violence is one potential non-genetic mechanism for the intergenerational transmission of MS; however, investigation of this potential link remains needed.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Intimate partner violence and multiple sclerosis

Freedman,

Krysko,

Feinstein

2023

Mult Scler

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People with MS may be at heightened risk of intimate partner violence (IPV) compared to the general population; however, little is known about the prevalence of IPV among people with MS or its effects on MS-specific clinical outcomes. Additionally, while MS clinicians often discuss family planning with patients, many clinicians may have received little training in detecting and responding to IPV. Moreover, no studies have investigated how to implement IPV case-finding and resource provision in the MS clinical setting. Overall, there are several scholarly, educational, and implementation-related gaps in IPV-associated care for people with MS. This article aims to summarize the available literature on IPV in people with MS, identify future research questions, and aid MS clinicians in safely addressing IPV while awaiting vital MS-specific knowledge.

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Relationships between childhood trauma and multiple sclerosis: A systematic review

Cited by 17 publications

References 46 publications

Association of adverse childhood experiences with adulthood multiple sclerosis: A systematic review of observational studies

Association of adverse childhood experiences with adulthood multiple sclerosis: A systematic review of observational studies

Resilience, mental health, sleep, and smoking mediate pathways between lifetime stressors and Multiple Sclerosis severity

Intimate partner violence and multiple sclerosis

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