%0 Journal Article
%T The Long-Term Effects of Early-Life Adversity on Health, Lifestyle, and Cognition
%A SangNam Ahn
%A Seonghoon Kim
%A Hongmei Zhang
%A Aram Dobalian
%A George M. Slavich
%J Bulletin of Pioneering Researches of Medical and Clinical Science
%@ 3006-2659
%D 2025
%V 4
%N 1
%R 10.51847/6ZhsvRWk26
%P 13-27
%X Early life adversity has been demonstrated to produce enduring negative effects across a broad spectrum of biopsychosocial domains. These early adverse experiences may have both direct and indirect impacts on cognitive decline and elevate the likelihood of dementia during older adulthood. Understanding the biopsychosocial outcomes linked to early adversity is vital for shaping health policies and fostering healthy cognitive trajectories throughout life. This research investigates how early adversity, defined as abuse and deprivation, influences certain outcomes—namely physical health, mental health, lifestyle factors, and cognitive functioning—in two UK-based cohorts: the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA; N = 12,653, Mdnage = 66, SDage = 9.58) and the UK Biobank (N = 502,360, Mdnage = 58, SDage = 8.09). Adversity data in both samples were collected retrospectively through self-report, and only those types of adversity measured in both cohorts were analyzed. A subsequent post-hoc analysis explored whether education serves as a mediator in the relationships between early adversity and the outcomes assessed. Overall, findings indicate that exposure to early adversity correlates with declines in physical and mental health, less favorable lifestyle patterns, and diminished cognitive performance. The mediating influence of education emerged as a significant factor. Nonetheless, associations varied depending on the adversity subtype and the specific cohort. These findings draw attention to the intricate relationships linking early adversity to multiple outcomes in later life, suggesting diverse underlying mechanisms. Additionally, the importance of conducting analyses across multiple cohorts is emphasized to improve the applicability and robustness of the results.
%U https://bprmcs.com/article/the-long-term-effects-of-early-life-adversity-on-health-lifestyle-and-cognition-pb6tjnwnzacq4fs