Aug. 19, 2016
Methods to analyze epigenetic changes, particularly DNA methylation, in children as an indication of traumatic experience.
These methods can be observed via a strand of hair or through saliva samples—simple non invasive tissue collection methods. This technology is useful for the design of tests to detect the biological impact of early life abuse, and to develop and follow prevention and therapeutic interventions.
Childhood maltreatment and abuse is a major risk factor for poor physical outcomes in adulthood including depression, anxiety, and cognitive dysfunction. According to the National Children’s Alliance, over 315,000 children were victims of child abuse with 116,940 being six years of age or under. It is necessary to develop biomarkers to indicate neglect at an early age before later-life clinical outcomes become present themselves. This issue has led to a strong foundation for abuse prevention across the country, with Florida’s Rapid Safety Feedback using predictive analytics to assign risk levels to various child abuse cases. Organizations such as Prevent Child Abuse America, Child Abuse Prevention, the Blue Ribbon Project, and UNICEF Child Protection are ready to reach out to victims and their families within communities where abuse is a relevant topic of discussion. There has been a long need for resources to identify those victims who sustain biological impact from abuse and to help victims from a young age as an intervention and preventive action. The impact of trauma can result in difficulties with behavior and learning in elementary school. Just as vaccination status is determined when children enter kindergarten, so too can we determine their stress level and the biological profile/signature of early life experience that may interfere with development and education.
Researchers at the University of New Mexico and University of Southern California have developed methods to analyze epigenetic changes, particularly DNA methylation, in children as an indication of traumatic experience. This can be observed via a strand of hair or through saliva samples—simple non invasive tissue collection methods. This technology is useful for the design of tests to detect the biological impact of early life abuse, and to develop and follow prevention and therapeutic interventions.
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background childhood maltreatment
major risk factor
poor physical outcomes
national children’s alliance
later-life clinical outcomes
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