Epigenetics and child abuse: Modern-day Darwinism--The miraculous ability of the human genome to adapt, and then adapt again

Abstract

It has long been recognized that early adversity can have life-long consequences, and the extent to which this is true is gaining increasing attention. A growing body of literature implicates Adverse Childhood Experiences, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, in a broad range of negative health consequences including adult psychopathology, cardiovascular, and immune disease. Increasing evidence from animal, clinical, and epidemiological studies highlight the critical role of epigenetic programing, such as DNA methylation and histone modification, in altering gene expression, brain structure and function, and ultimately life-course trajectories. This review outlines our developing insight into the interplay between our human biology and our changing environment, and explores the growing evidence base for how interventions may prevent and ameliorate damage inflicted by toxic stress in early life.

Keywords: Adverse Childhood Experiences; DNA methylation; child abuse; developmental programming; early life adversity; epigenetic modifications; post-traumatic stress disorder; risk and resiliency; toxic stress.