Adverse childhood experience and stress regulation

The project at a glance

Start date:

01 May 2019
Duration in months:

48
Funding:

DFG
Principal Investigator(s):

Robert KUMSTA

About

This project focused on the molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying the effects of early life stress and adversity on physical and mental health outcomes in later life. We demonstrated that individuals with a history of childhood adversity exhibited altered hormonal and gene expression in response to stress, particularly in genes involved in the regulation of inflammation and immune response. Furthermore, utilising a proteomics approach, we found that the experience of adversity in childhood was associated with changes in the expression of proteins related to mitochondrial function, suggesting a potential link between early-life stress and mitochondrial dysfunction.