Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42046058›Full record

ArticleBMC medicine2026

Adverse events in both childhood and adulthood are associated with molecular, clinical and functional markers of ageing.

Monica Aas, Thole H Hoppen, Nexhmedin Morina, Shiyu Zhang, Bin Li, Vid Mlakar, Julian Mutz

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Monica AasSocial, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK. monica.aas@kcl.ac.uk.
Thole H HoppenInstitute of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
Nexhmedin MorinaInstitute of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
Shiyu ZhangNational Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital & Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Bin LiNational Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital & Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Vid MlakarSocial, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
Julian MutzSocial, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK. julian.mutz@gmail.com.

Funding

Medical Research Council MR/W027720/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAdverse events across the lifespan have been linked to poorer health outcomes, but the biological mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of this study was to quantify the independent and joint associations of adversity experienced in childhood and/or adulthood with molecular, clinical and functional markers of biological ageing.

methodsWe analysed data from up to 153,557 middle-aged and older adults in the UK Biobank. Adversity was assessed through questionnaires capturing five types of childhood and adulthood adverse events. Biological ageing markers included metabolomic age (MileAge) delta, a metabolomic mortality profile, the frailty index, telomere length and grip strength. Regression models were adjusted for age, sex, education, income, ethnicity and neighbourhood deprivation.

resultsAcross childhood and adulthood exposures, adversity and its severity were most consistently associated with higher frailty index values. The strongest associations were observed in individuals exposed to multiple types of adverse events. Individuals who experienced adversity in both childhood and adulthood also had a metabolite-predicted age exceeding their chronological age and lower grip strength. Abuse was more consistently associated with biological ageing markers than neglect.

conclusionsCumulative exposure to adversity across childhood and adulthood is associated with older biological ageing profiles across multiple domains. These findings highlight biological ageing as a potential pathway linking adversity to poor health outcomes and premature mortality.

Indexed as

Adverse Childhood ExperiencesAgingAdultAgedBiomarkersChildFemaleFrailtyHand StrengthHumansMaleMiddle AgedUK BiobankUnited KingdomBiomarkersAdulthood adversityBiological ageingChildhood adversityFrailtyGrip strengthLife-course exposureMetabolomicsTelomere lengthTraumaUK Biobank

Identifiers

PMID42046058
PMCPMC13122998

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.