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Effects of early life adversity on immune function and cognitive performance: results from the ALSPAC cohort

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Abstract

Background

Early life adversity (ELA) is a significant risk factor for mental health disorders. One hypothesised mechanism by which this occurs is via an effect on immune response. In this analysis of epidemiological data, we tested whether ELA was associated with cognitive performance, and if so, whether these effects were influenced by immune function.

Methods

We investigated the longitudinal relationship between ELA, inflammatory markers, and cognition in data from Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents And Children (ALSPAC; n ~ 5000). ELA was defined in terms of physical/emotional abuse, harsh parenting, or domestic violence before 5 years. Social cognition was measured in terms of theory of mind, and general cognitive ability was measured using IQ. Inflammatory markers included serum C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 levels.

Results

A significant association was observed between IQ and harsh parenting, whereby children who were physically disciplined had lower IQ scores (accounting for relevant social factors). Both immune markers were associated with variation in cognition, however, neither accounted for the effects of ELA on cognition.

Discussion

This study highlights the impact of ELA on cognition. In the absence of evidence that these effects are explained by inflammation, other mechanisms by which the effects of ELA are mediated are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

Jessica Holland’s research is supported by a PhD scholarship from the Irish Research Council. GD’s research is supported by generous funding from the European Research Council (Grant no. 677467) and Science Foundation Ireland (Grant no. 16/ERCS/3787). Dr. Khandaker acknowledges funding support from the Wellcome Trust (Intermediate Clinical Fellowship; Grant no.: 201486/Z/16/Z), MRC (Grant no.: MC_PC_17213), and MQ: Transforming Mental Health (Grant no.: MQDS17/40). Prof Zammit acknowledges funding support from the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol National Health Service Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol. Access to the ALSPAC data set was granted by University of Bristol ALSPAC committee. We are grateful to all families who took part in the ALSPAC study, midwives for their help in recruitment, and the whole ALSPAC team, including interviewers, computer and laboratory technicians, clerical workers, research scientists, volunteers, managers, receptionists, and nurses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cognitive Genetics and Cognitive Therapy Group, The Centre for Neuroimaging, Cognition and Genomics (NICOG), School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland

    Jessica F. Holland, Maria R. Dauvermann, Derek Morris & Gary Donohoe

  2. Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Herschel Smith Building for Brain & Mind Sciences, Cambridge, UK

    Golam M. Khandaker

  3. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK

    Golam M. Khandaker

  4. Centre for Academic Mental Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

    Stanley Zammit

  5. Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK

    Stanley Zammit

  6. National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

    Stanley Zammit

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  1. Jessica F. Holland
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  2. Golam M. Khandaker
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  3. Maria R. Dauvermann
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  5. Stanley Zammit
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Correspondence to Gary Donohoe.

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Holland, J.F., Khandaker, G.M., Dauvermann, M.R. et al. Effects of early life adversity on immune function and cognitive performance: results from the ALSPAC cohort. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 55, 723–733 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-019-01813-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-019-01813-8

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