Cumulative early life adversity predicts longevity in wild baboons

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Primatology
• Developmental biology

Background:

• Early life adversity is linked to adult health issues in humans and animals.
• The impact of cumulative early adversity on lifespan, particularly in long-lived mammals, remains understudied.
• Prospective, longitudinal data are crucial for understanding these long-term effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between cumulative early life adversity and natural adult lifespan in wild female baboons.
• To test the hypothesis that multiple adverse conditions are especially toxic.
• To explore potential mediating social factors in the link between early adversity and survival.

Main Methods:

• Prospective longitudinal study design.
• Data collected from 196 wild female baboons.
• Analysis of cumulative early adversity sources and their correlation with adult lifespan and social behavior.

Main Results:

• Cumulative early adversity significantly predicts natural adult lifespan.
• Females experiencing ≥3 adverse circumstances had a median lifespan 10 years shorter than those with ≤1.
• High early adversity was associated with social isolation in adulthood, suggesting a partial mediation of survival effects.

Conclusions:

• Early life adversity has profound, long-lasting impacts on survival, even in the absence of health habits or healthcare.
• Social processes may partially explain the link between early adversity and reduced adult lifespan.
• Findings support the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) framework in a wild, long-lived mammal model.