Researchers at the University of Michigan have found that traumatic experiences during childhood can have long-lasting effects on the muscle function of people as they age.
Published in Science Advances, the study examined the skeletal muscle function of older adults, aged 70 and above, and correlated it with their reported experiences of adverse events in childhood. The researchers found that individuals who had experienced greater childhood adversity, defined as one or more adverse events, exhibited poorer muscle metabolism later in life.
The study, led by University of Michigan Institute for Social Research scientist Kate Duchowny, analyzed muscle tissue samples from participants in the Study of Muscle, Mobility and Aging (SOMMA) project. The researchers examined two key features of muscular function: the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which provides the chemical energy to fuel cellular function, and the process of oxidative phosphorylation, which helps produce ATP.
The researchers also collected data from questionnaires that asked participants about their experiences of adverse childhood events, such as having a close family member with substance abuse issues, being insulted or put down by an adult, or experiencing physical abuse.
The findings revealed that approximately 45% of the sample reported experiencing one or more adverse childhood events. Importantly, both men and women who reported such adverse events had lower ATP max production, indicating they were not producing as much ATP as those who experienced fewer or no adverse events in childhood.
"What these results suggest is that these early formative childhood experiences have the ability to get under the skin and influence skeletal muscle mitochondria, which is important because mitochondrial function is related to a host of aging-related outcomes," Duchowny said.
The researchers emphasize that the effects of childhood adversity on muscle function remained significant even after controlling for other factors that could impact muscle health, such as age, gender, education, and physical activity.