幼少期の逆境が細胞のエネルギー機構を書き換え、生涯の健康へ影響(How Childhood Adversity Can Rewire Our Cells, With Lifelong Health Effects)

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2026-06-18 カリフォルニア大学ロサンゼルス校 (UCLA)

米国のUniversity of California, Los Angelesの研究チームは、幼少期の逆境体験(虐待、ネグレクト、貧困、家庭内不和など)が細胞内のエネルギー産生機構に長期的な影響を及ぼし、その後の健康状態に関与する可能性を明らかにした。研究では、細胞内でエネルギーを生み出すミトコンドリアに着目し、幼少期のストレス経験とミトコンドリア機能との関連を解析した。その結果、幼少期に強い逆境を経験した人では、ミトコンドリアの代謝活動やエネルギー利用効率に変化が生じていることが確認された。こうした変化は炎症反応やストレス応答、加齢関連疾患のリスク上昇とも関連する可能性がある。研究者らは、幼少期の心理社会的環境が生物学的レベルで長期的な痕跡を残し、成人後の身体的・精神的健康に影響を与える仕組みの一端を示したとしている。本研究は、健康格差や慢性疾患の発症要因を理解する上で重要な知見を提供するとともに、早期介入や予防医療の重要性を裏付ける成果となっている。

<関連情報>

幼少期の逆境とミトコンドリア機能:累積リスクモデルと次元モデルによる逆境の比較 Early-Life Adversity and Mitochondrial Function: Comparing Cumulative Risk and Dimensional Models of Adversity

Shiloh Cleveland ∙ Judith E. Carroll ∙ Amanda K. Montoya ∙ Leah Cha ∙ Linsey Stiles ∙ Jennifer A. Sumner
Biological Psychiatry  Published:  April 21, 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2026.04.006

Abstract

Background

Early-life adversity (ELA) is linked to adverse mental and physical health across the lifespan. Mitochondrial function is one key, but understudied, mechanism that may be relevant for understanding how ELA becomes biologically embedded. Mitochondria are targets of stress response and mediate stress-related pathology, and impaired mitochondrial function is associated with adverse mental and physical health. However, little clinical research has examined ELA and mitochondrial function. We investigated associations of ELA, operationalized by 2 prominent conceptual models (cumulative risk and threat-deprivation dimensions), with mitochondrial function metrics in a community-based sample of trauma-exposed adults.

Methods

Participants (N = 143, 55.9% female) reported on ELA experiences, and the information was used to create composites for cumulative ELA and threat- and deprivation-related dimensions. Indices of mitochondrial bioenergetics (oxygen consumption rate, extracellular acidification rate) of live peripheral blood mononuclear cells were assessed with the Agilent Seahorse X96 Extracellular Flux Analyzer. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine associations between cumulative ELA and threat- and deprivation-related dimensions with mitochondrial bioenergetic parameters, adjusting for demographic and technical variables.

Results

Greater cumulative ELA was associated with lower proton leak and ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production rate from glycolysis and greater maximal respiration and reserve capacity. Dimensional analyses revealed unique and nuanced associations between threat- and deprivation-related ELA and mitochondrial parameters.

Conclusions

This is the first study to examine cumulative risk and dimensional models of ELA in relation to mitochondrial function. We shed light on distinct impacts of cumulative ELA and threat- and deprivation-related experiences, highlighting an overall pattern of greater respiratory capacity associated with ELA.

医療・健康
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