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RESEARCH PAPER / 2025-01-30

Ripple Effects of Early Life Stress on Vascular Health.

Cailin E Kellum, Gillian C Kelly, Jennifer S Pollock

Cardio-Renal Physiology and Medicine, Department of Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL (C.E.K., G.C.K., J.S.P.). · pubmed

Abstract

The term early life stress encompasses traumatic events occurring before the age of 18 years, such as physical abuse, verbal abuse, household dysfunctions, sexual abuse, childhood neglect, child maltreatment, and adverse childhood experiences. Adverse psychological experiences in early life are linked to enduring effects on mental and physical health in adulthood. In this review, we first describe the effects and potential mechanisms of early life stress on the components of the vasculature. Next, we dive into the impact of early life stress on the vasculature across the lifespan through alterations of the epigenetic landscape. Finally, we consolidate the critical gaps in knowledge for focusing future research including the potential for resilience in combatting the impact of early life stress on vascular health.

The following analysis is generated by AI and may contain errors. It is separate from the authors’ abstract and is not peer review.

Research summary

Early life stress has lasting effects on vascular health through epigenetic changes. The paper is relevant as it explores the long-term impacts of early life stress on vascular health, which can contribute to understanding mechanisms of aging and age-related diseases.

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