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Cited by 173Child Abuse and TraumaStress Responses and CortisolHerpesvirus Infections and Treatments

Early childhood stress is associated with elevated antibody levels to herpes simplex virus type 1

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Shirtcliff, Elizabeth A., Coe, Christopher L., Pollak, Seth D.·2009·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
DOI 10.1073/pnas.0806660106PMC PMC2634803
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Abstract

It is well known that children need solicitous parenting and a nurturing rearing environment to ensure their normal behavioral development. Early adversity often negatively impacts emotional and mental well-being, but it is less clearly established how much the maturation and regulation of physiological systems is also compromised. The following research investigated the effect of 2 different types of adverse childhood experiences, early deprivation through institutionalization and physical abuse, on a previously unexplored outcome: the containment of herpes simplex virus (HSV). The presence of HSV-specific antibody in salivary specimens was determined in 155 adolescents, including 41 postinstitutionalized, 34 physically-abused, and 80 demographically-similar control youth. Across 4 school and home days, HSV antibody was higher in both postinstitutionalized and physically-abused adolescents when compared with control participants. Because the prevalence of HSV infection was similar across the groups, the elevated antibody was likely indicative of viral recrudescence from latency. Total secretory Ig-A secretion was associated with HSV, but did not account for the group differences in HSV-specific antibody. These findings are likely caused by a failure of cellular immune processes to limit viral reactivation, indicating a persistent effect of early rearing on immune functioning. The fact that antibody profiles were still altered years after adoption into a more benevolent setting with supportive families suggests these results were not caused by contemporaneous factors, but rather reflect a lingering influence of earlier life experiences.

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  • ELA has been linked in human studies and animal experimentation to chronic inflammation and low-level immunosuppression, including impairment of mucosal immunity in children and cellular immunity in adolescents and adults.

    “ELA has been linked in human studies and animal experimentation to chronic inflammation [59] and low-level immunosuppression, including impairment of mucosal immunity in children [60] and cellular immunity (e.g., poorer control of latent viral infection) in adolescents [61] and adults [62].”

    From Biological embedding of childhood adversity: from physiological mechanisms to clinical implications (2017) · cites this paper as [60]

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Authors
Shirtcliff, E. A., Coe, C. L., & Pollak, S. D.
Affiliations
  • LSU New Orleans (US)
  • University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
Corresponding author
  • Shirtcliff, Elizabeth A.
  • Pollak, Seth D.
ORCID
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Publisher
National Academy of Sciences
Published
2009-02-24
Volume
106
Issue
8
Pages
2963-2967
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
DOI
10.1073/pnas.0806660106
PMC
PMC2634803
OpenAlex
W2138555445
Cited by
173
References
4
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 18
FWCI
15.95
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.pnas.org/site/misc/userlicense.xhtml (vor, 181 d)
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Waisman Center
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute of Mental Health (MH61285, MH61285-S, R01MH061285)
  • National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (HD 03352, P30HD003352)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Herpesvirus Infections and Treatments
Keywords
early childhood adversity, adverse childhood experiences, herpes simplex virus type 1, institutionalization, physical abuse, salivary IgA, cellular immune function, viral reactivation, adoptive families, adolescents
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Antibodies, Viral, Child, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Female, Humans, Immunocompetence, Life Change Events, Male, Risk Factors, Saliva, Stress, Psychological, Case-Control Studies, Herpesvirus 1, Human

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