Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29365106›Full record

Trial reportHuman molecular genetics2018

Psychosocial adversity and socioeconomic position during childhood and epigenetic age: analysis of two prospective cohort studies.

Rebecca B Lawn, Emma L Anderson, Matthew Suderman, Andrew J Simpkin, Tom R Gaunt, Andrew E Teschendorff, Martin Widschwendter, Rebecca Hardy, Diana Kuh, Caroline L Relton and 1 more

Erratum issuedOpen access · hybridAbstract readClinical TrialMulticenter Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Human molecular genetics, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 58 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
58citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
6.5field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

58 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 134 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Using Epigenetic Clocks to Characterize Biological Aging in Studies of Children and Childhood Exposures: a Systematic Review.Prevention science : the official journal of the Society for Prevention Research · 2023
    Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Environmental, Lifestyle, and Health Factors Associated With DNA Methylation Age.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2020
    Pooled it
  6. Review
  7. Lifetime trauma exposure and accelerated epigenetic aging among midlife women.Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association · 2025
    Article
  8. Article
  9. Impact of socioeconomic conditions across the life course on epigenetic age acceleration: evidence from a longitudinal cohort.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2025
    Article
  10. Review
  11. Article
  12. The Impact of Early Life Adversity on Peripubertal Accelerated Epigenetic Aging and Psychopathology.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry · 2025
    Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.

Rebecca B LawnMRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, UK.
Emma L AndersonMRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, UK.
Matthew SudermanMRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, UK.
Andrew J SimpkinMRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, UK.
Tom R GauntMRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, UK.
Andrew E TeschendorffDepartment of Women's Cancer, University College London, UK.
Martin WidschwendterDepartment of Women's Cancer, University College London, UK.
Rebecca HardyMRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing, University College London, UK.
Diana KuhMRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing, University College London, UK.
Caroline L ReltonMRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, UK.
Laura D HoweMRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, UK.
University of Bristol · GBMRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing · GBOllscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway · IEShanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences · CNUniversity College London · GB

Funding

Early life adversity and trajectories of cardiometabolic health, cognitive function and physical function: improving understanding of the mechanisms and potential reversibilityR01AG048835 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL · PI HOWE, LAURA D · 2014 to 2015
$154k
Department of HealthMedical Research Council G9815508Medical Research Council MC_UU_00011/4Medical Research Council MC_UU_12013/2Medical Research Council MC_UU_12013/8Medical Research Council MC_UU_12013/9Medical Research Council MC_UU_12019/1Medical Research Council MC_UU_12019/2Medical Research Council MR/M020894/1Medical Research Council MR/P014437/1NIA NIH HHS R01 AG048835Wellcome TrustWellcome Trust 102215/2/13/2
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Psychosocial adversity in childhood (e.g. abuse) and low socioeconomic position (SEP) can have significant lasting effects on social and health outcomes. DNA methylation-based biomarkers are highly correlated with chronological age; departures of methylation-predicted age from chronological age can be used to define a measure of age acceleration, which may represent a potential biological mechanism linking environmental exposures to later health outcomes. Using data from two cohorts of women Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, (ALSPAC), N = 989 and MRC National Survey of Health and Development, NSHD, N = 773), we assessed associations of SEP, psychosocial adversity in childhood (parental physical or mental illness or death, parental separation, parental absence, sub-optimal maternal bonding, sexual, emotional and physical abuse and neglect) and a cumulative score of these psychosocial adversity measures, with DNA methylation age acceleration in adulthood (measured in peripheral blood at mean chronological ages 29 and 47 in ALSPAC and buccal cells at age 53 in NSHD). Sexual abuse was strongly associated with age acceleration in ALSPAC (sexual abuse data were not available in NSHD), e.g. at the 47-year time point sexual abuse associated with a 3.41 years higher DNA methylation age (95% CI 1.53 to 5.29) after adjusting for childhood and adulthood SEP. No associations were observed between low SEP, any other psychosocial adversity measure or the cumulative psychosocial adversity score and age acceleration. DNA methylation age acceleration is associated with sexual abuse, suggesting a potential mechanism linking sexual abuse with adverse outcomes. Replication studies with larger sample sizes are warranted.

Indexed as

DNA MethylationEpigenesis, GeneticMental DisordersAdultChildChild Abuse, SexualChild, PreschoolEnvironmental ExposureFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesSocioeconomic Factors

Identifiers

PMID29365106
PMCPMC5985722
OpenAlexW2792142529

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.