Citation

Kim S, Watt T, Ceballos N, Sharma S. Stress Health 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Department of Biology, Texas State University.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/smi.2871

PMID

31099473

Abstract

Despite the growing interest in adverse childhood experiences and biomarkers, less attention has been paid to multiple biomarkers as representing interrelated systems among college students. Guided by the neuro-inflammatory pathway hypothesis, the current project takes the initial step in examining the link between three types of childhood adversity and biomarkers of neuroplasticity (Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor) and low-grade inflammation (C-Reactive Protein) in an overarching model, and whether this link may differ in men and women. Undergraduate students (n=85) were recruited through multiple departments from a state university. The participants responded to the detailed online survey questionnaire on childhood adversity, and provided one blood sample via venous blood draw. Given that CRP and BNDF represent two interrelated systems, structural equation models were considered the most suitable for the analyses. The findings partially support neural and inflammatory pathways, such that childhood adversity, and particularly family dysfunction, has a significant positive effect on BDNF (b=30.41, p<.01). The link between family dysfunction and CRP was stronger in female students (b=0.57, p<.05).

RESULTS suggest that interventions for college students with family dysfunctions may need to target different physiological and behavioral outcomes for male and female students.

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Language: en

Keywords

Childhood maltreatment; college students; inflammatory cytokine; neuroplasticity