Infant DNA methylation: an early indicator of intergenerational trauma?

Area of Science:

• Epigenetics and Developmental Psychology
• Neuroendocrinology
• Public Health

Background:

• Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to long-term mental and physical health issues.
• Maternal ACEs can negatively impact offspring health, including neurodevelopment and behavior.
• Intergenerational trauma theories propose biological mechanisms, such as DNA methylation (DNAm), mediate these effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if infant DNA methylation patterns are associated with maternal ACEs.
• To explore the role of maternal distress and cortisol awakening response (CAR) in mediating the relationship between maternal ACEs and infant DNAm.
• To compare these associations in infant blood versus buccal epithelial cells (BECs).

Main Methods:

• Secondary analysis of data from the Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) study.
• Collected maternal data on distress, stress, and ACEs during pregnancy and postpartum.
• Analyzed infant DNAm from blood (n=92) and BECs (n=124) at 3 months postpartum.

Main Results:

• Preliminary findings indicate infant DNAm patterns correlate with maternal ACEs in both blood and BECs.
• Maternal perinatal distress and CAR did not significantly alter most ACE-related DNAm associations.
• Maternal distress and CAR notably modified ACEs' effects on DNAm in blood compared to BECs.

Conclusions:

• Infant DNAm may serve as a biomarker for maternal intergenerational trauma.
• The influence of maternal distress and CAR on this epigenetic signature is more pronounced in infant blood DNA than BEC DNA.