Community and domestic violence are associated with DNA methylation GrimAge acceleration and heart rate variability in adolescents

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Nayara Cristina dos Santos Oliveira, National Institute of Woman, Child, and Adolescence Health Fernandes Figueira, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Seyma Katrinli, Emory University; Simone Gonçalves de Assis, National Institute of Woman, Child, and Adolescence Health Fernandes Figueira, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Alicia Smith, Emory University; Fernanda Serpeloni, National School of Public Health, Fiocruz
• Language: English
• Date: 2023-11-23
• Publisher: TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2023.2202054
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOTRAUMATOLOGY
• Volume: 14
• Issue: 2
• Start Page: 2202054
• End Page: 2202054
• Grant/Funding Information: This study was partially supported by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) – Finance Code 001; the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq); and Carlos Chagas Filho Foundation for Supporting Research in the State of Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ).
• Keywords: psychosocial stress; violence; Social Sciences; BDNF; VAGAL TONE; Stress; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; epigenetics; CHILDREN; autonomic nervous system; cardiovascular system; Science & Technology; Psychology; STRESS; Psychiatry; DISORDER; Psychology, Clinical

Abstract

Background: Cumulative exposure to violence can change the regulation of epigenetic and physiological markers. Although violence has been associated with accelerated cellular aging, little is known about associations with cardiac autonomic activity. Objective: The current study aimed to investigate the relationship of exposure to community and domestic violence (CDV) with vagal activity and epigenetic aging acceleration. Methods: A total of 86 adolescents (57% female) were evaluated and interviewed at two time-points in São Gonçalo (2014–2019), a Brazilian city with high levels of violence. Exposure to CDV was assessed in both time-points. GrimAge acceleration was calculated from saliva DNA methylation using Infinium HumanMethylation450K (Illumina) collected in the first assessment. Heart rate variability (HRV) was collected during two stress tasks at the second assessment. Results: The exposure to violence witnessed or directly experienced at home and in the community increased significantly (t = 4.87, p <.01) across two-time points, and males had reported higher violence exposure (t = 2.06, p =.043). Violence at 1st assessment was significantly associated with GrimAge acceleration (B =.039, p value =.043). Violence at both assessments were associated with HRV measured during the narration of the worst trauma (traumaHRV) (B =.009, p value =.039, and B =.007, p value =.024, 1st and 2nd assessment respectively). GrimAge acceleration was significantly associated with traumaHRV (B =.043, p value =.049), and HRV measured during a 3D roller coaster video (B =.061, p value =.024). Conclusions: We found relevant evidence that experiencing violence during adolescence is associated with epigenetic aging and stress-related vagal activity. Understanding these factors during this period could contribute to the development of early interventions for health promotion. HIGHLIGHTS Higher exposure to Community and domestic violence is associated with increased GrimAge acceleration. Higher GrimAge acceleration is associated with increased stress-related vagal activity. Exposure to community and domestic violence increased significantly over time.