Childhood Chronic Physical Aggression Associates with Adult Cytokine Levels in Plasma
نویسندگان
چکیده
BACKGROUND An increasing number of animal and human studies are indicating that inflammation is associated with behavioral disorders including aggression. This study investigates the association between chronic physical aggression during childhood and plasma cytokine levels in early adulthood. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Two longitudinal studies were used to select males on a chronic physical aggression trajectory from childhood to adolescence (n = 7) and a control group from the same background (n = 25). Physical aggression was assessed yearly by teachers from childhood to adolescence and plasma levels of 10 inflammatory cytokines were assessed at age 26 and 28 years. Compared to the control group, males on a chronic physical aggression trajectory from childhood to adolescence had consistently lower plasma levels of five cytokines: lower pro-inflammatory interleukins IL-1α (T(28.7) = 3.48, P = 0.002) and IL-6 (T(26.9) = 3.76, P = 0.001), lower anti-inflammatory interleukin IL-4 (T(27.1) = 4.91, P = 0.00004) and IL-10 (T(29.8) = 2.84, P = 0.008) and lower chemokine IL-8 (T(26) = 3.69, P = 0.001). The plasma levels of four cytokines accurately predicted aggressive and control group membership for all subjects. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Physical aggression of boys during childhood is a strong predictor of reduced plasma levels of cytokines in early adulthood. The causal and physiological relations underlying this association should be further investigated since animal data suggest that some cytokines such as IL-6 and IL-1β play a causal role in aggression.
منابع مشابه
Differential DNA Methylation Regions in Cytokine and Transcription Factor Genomic Loci Associate with Childhood Physical Aggression
BACKGROUND Animal and human studies suggest that inflammation is associated with behavioral disorders including aggression. We have recently shown that physical aggression of boys during childhood is strongly associated with reduced plasma levels of cytokines IL-1α, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10, later in early adulthood. This study tests the hypothesis that there is an association between differe...
متن کاملAssociation of Childhood Chronic Physical Aggression with a DNA Methylation Signature in Adult Human T Cells
BACKGROUND Chronic physical aggression (CPA) is characterized by frequent use of physical aggression from early childhood to adolescence. Observed in approximately 5% of males, CPA is associated with early childhood adverse environments and long-term negative consequences. Alterations in DNA methylation, a covalent modification of DNA that regulates genome function, have been associated with ea...
متن کاملDNA Methylation Signature of Childhood Chronic Physical Aggression in T Cells of Both Men and Women
BACKGROUND High frequency of physical aggression is the central feature of severe conduct disorder and is associated with a wide range of social, mental and physical health problems. We have previously tested the hypothesis that differential DNA methylation signatures in peripheral T cells are associated with a chronic aggression trajectory in males. Despite the fact that sex differences appear...
متن کاملAggression, impulsivity, and plasma sex hormone levels in a group of rapists, in relation to their history of childhood attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder symptoms
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between retrospectively assessed childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, aggression – impulsivity, and plasma sex hormone levels, in a group of 44 rapists. All participants completed the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS), the Aggression Questionnaire, the Life-Time History of Aggression, the Barratt Impulsivity...
متن کاملThe persistence of early childhood physical aggression: Examiningmaternal delinquency and offending, mental health, and cultural differences☆
Available online 9 July 2014 Purpose: To examine the persistence of physical aggression in preschoolers and associated correlates (i.e., sociodemographic, socioeconomic, criminality, parenting practices, maternal mental health). Methods: One-year follow-ups are completed with 240 mothers and their preschool children (boys and girls) from the Vancouver Longitudinal Study on the Psychosocial Deve...
متن کامل