In Adulthood Abused Kids may Suffer from Anxiety and Mood Disorders: Scientists

According to scientists, adults who were exposed to trauma in early childhood are more likely to suffer from anxiety and mood disorders.

According to scientists, adults who were exposed to trauma in early childhood are more likely to suffer from anxiety and mood disorders, as traumatic experience induces lasting changes to their gene regulation.

Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich have now documented for the first time that genetic variants of the FKBP5 gene can influence epigenetic alterations in this gene induced by early trauma.

Adults Affected by Childhood Traumas
A new study has found that traumatic experiences in childhood can increase the risk of poor mental and physical health in adulthood.

In individuals with a genetic predisposition, trauma causes long-term changes in DNA methylation leading to a lasting dysregulation of the stress hormone system.

As a result, those affected find themselves less able to cope with stressful situations throughout their lives, frequently leading to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or anxiety disorders in adulthood. Doctors and scientists hope these discoveries will yield new treatment strategies tailored to individual patients, as well as increased public awareness of the importance of protecting children from trauma and its consequences.

Research Group Leader Elisabeth Binder of the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry examined the DNA of almost 2000 Afro-Americans who had been repeatedly and severely traumatised as adults or in childhood. One-third of trauma victims had become ill and was now suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Heart Disease Linked to Childhood Trauma
New research suggests that the effect of trauma in infancy and early childhood can be a precursor to mental disorders and heart disease later in life.

The risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder rose with increasing severity of abuse only in the carriers of a specific genetic variant in the FKBP5 gene. FKPB5 determines how effectively the organism can react to stress, and by this regulates the entire stress hormone system.

The scientists hoped to cast light on the mechanisms of this gene-environment interaction by comparing modifications of the DNA sequence of victims who had not become ill with that of those who had.

Mark Left on DNA of Some Victims By Childhood Trauma
Since traumatic experience induces lasting changes to their gene regulation, abused children are at high risk of anxiety and mood disorders.

The Munich-based Max Planck scientists were then able to demonstrate that the genetic FKBP5 variant does make a physiological difference to those affected, also in nerve cells. Extreme stress and the associated high concentrations of stress hormones bring about what is called an epigenetic change.

A methyl group is broken off the DNA at this point, causing a marked increase in FKBP5 activity. This lasting epigenetic change is generated primarily through childhood traumatisation. Consequently, no disease-related demethylation of the FKBP5 gene was detected in participants who were traumatised in adulthood only.

Childhood Trauma Linked to Mental Health Problems
Children's risk for learning, behavioral problems correlates to the level of trauma they are exposed.

"Depending on genetic predisposition, childhood trauma can leave permanent epigenetic marks on the DNA, further de-repressing FKBP5 transcription. The consequence is a permanent dysregulation of the victim's stress hormone system, which can ultimately lead to psychiatric illness. Decisive for victims of childhood abuse, however, is that the stress-induced epigenetic changes can only occur if their DNA has a specific sequence," Torsten Klengel, a scientist at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, explained.

Source-ANI