Childhood psychosocial adversity and adult cortisol patterns

Cortisol levels may be altered in childhood in association with maltreatment (neglect, abuse and witnessing abuse) and other adversities, yet little is known about whether effects on cortisol persist into later life.

To establish whether childhood psychosocial adversities predict cortisol levels in mid-adulthood.

Childhood psychosocial adversities were ascertained in the 1958 British birth cohort and cortisol was measured in two saliva samples, one 45 min after awaking (T(1)) and the other 3 h later the same day (T(2)), from 6524 participants aged 45 years.

No association was seen for abuse or household dysfunction in childhood and adult cortisol levels. In women but not men, T(1) cortisol was lowered by 7.9% per unit increase in childhood neglect score (range 0-3); T(1) to T(2) cortisol decline was less steep. High levels of maltreatment (abuse, neglect, witnessed abuse) were associated with >25% lower T(1) cortisol in both men and women, and 24% higher T(2) cortisol for men after adjustment for concurrent depressive/anxiety symptoms.

In a non-clinical population, cumulative maltreatments in childhood were associated with flattened morning cortisol secretion in mid-adult life.