A new study led by UCLA Health found that a person's sex and their unique experiences of childhood trauma can have specific consequences for their biological health and risk of developing 20 major diseases later in life. Although a large body of research has shown that childhood adversity can have long-lasting impacts on a person's biology and health, there has been little research looking into how different types of stressors affect specific biological functions and health risks. The new findings, published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity on Sept.
17, not only revealed that these early stressors can cause specific health impacts, but that these impacts also systematically differed for male and females. The findings are believed to represent one of the most comprehensive analyses of the biological and clinical consequences of adverse childhood experiences, said the study's senior author, Dr. George Slavich, director of the Laboratory for Stress Assessment and Research at UCLA.
Most people who have experienced significant stress or early-life trauma never get assessed. These findings highlight the critical importance of screening for stress in clinical settings. They also move us beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and toward a precision medicine approach based on patients' sex and specific stress profile.
" Dr. George Slavich, Director, Laboratory for Stress Assessment and Research at UCLA To examine how early exposure to adversity impacts health later in life, Sl.