Traumatic Childhood Experiences May Increase Premature Death Risk

A recent study conducted by the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) has discovered that children who experience traumatic experiences are more likely to die prematurely. 

This study tried establishing a link between adverse childhood experiences (ACE) with the development of the brain. ACE refers to the trauma, abuses or maltreatment a child experiences at a tender age and which leaves a negative impact on the brain structure and the neurobiological stress-response system of the child. This impact in turn affects the physical and emotional health of the child.  

The researchers analysed data from the 1958 National Child Development Study, and tried linking the death rates of over 15,000 people with incidences of childhood trauma, which were recorded when the subjects were seven, 11 and 16 years of age. The term trauma in these cases referred to being avoided by the legal guardians, imprisonment of a family member, separation of parents and spending time in care.

It was found that the occurrence of traumatic events increased the chances of dying prematurely and this risk got enhanced with more distressing experiences. One negative incident experienced by women by the time they turned 16 made them 66 percent more prone to death by the age of 50, when compared to women who did not face any such distressing experiences.

Experiencing a second such incident increased the risk of dying prematurely by 80 percent. Amid men the risk of premature deaths was slightly lesser. Men who faced two or more traumatic incidences were 57 percent more likely to die before the age of 50.

Factors like consumption of alcohol and tobacco, psychological issues, social standing and education were also noted by the researchers.

Children who faced traumatic incidents are not only at the risk of dying prematurely, they also face the hazard of being more prone to illnesses like depression, ischemic heart diseases, liver disease, sexually transmitted diseases and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as an adult, according to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A recent study has discovered that people diagnosed with PTSD  (post-traumatic stress disorder) who faced ACE were likely to display more genetic alterations related to immune regulation and brain development compared to people with PTSD who got diagnosed at a later stage in life. More alterations in genes that regulated cell growth and promoted cell death were observed in those who developed the disorder at a later age.

"This work on early psychological trauma and premature death adds a whole new dimension to public health," Professor Mel Bartley, of the ESRC International Center for Lifecourse Studies in Society and Health at the University College London, and co-author of the study, said in a statement.

"Many people have suspected this but until now we have no had such high quality evidence from such a large cohort of people," according to a Medical Daily report.