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Objective To investigate the brain regions that play a key role in the impact of childhood adversity on cognitive function, based on the mediation effect analysis of debiased machine learning framework. Methods The dataset, consisting of 460 volunteers, was randomly partitioned into a training set (n=368) and a validation set (n=92). To enhance the stability of the results, this study utilized a debiased machine learning mediation analysis method to develop models and draw conclusions from the training set, which were then validated with the validation set. Finally, the Bonferroni method was employed to correct for significance in the identified brain regions. Results The experimental results for the training set and validation set were similar. The efficacy of the left superior parietal lobule was significant (validation set P<0.001), exhibiting a positive effect (validation set Effect Size=0.78). The right frontopolar cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and left inferior temporal gyrus were also significant (P<0.001 for both training set and validation set) and were identified as having a negative effect in this process (validation set Effect Size =-0.037 and -0.034, respectively). The associations between the brain regions with significant effects and cognitive function are supported by existing literature. Conclusion This study employed mediation analysis methods to investigate the mechanisms underlying the impact of childhood adversity on cognitive function. The results indicate that the left superior parietal lobule, right rostral anterior cingulate cortex, and left inferior temporal gyrus play crucial roles in the process of childhood adversity affecting cognitive function. Specifically, the left superior parietal lobule exhibits a positive effect, while the right rostral anterior cingulate cortex and left inferior temporal gyrus exhibit negative effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood adversities can have a deleterious impact on mental health. Elevated levels of such adversities have been reported in veteran populations. Levels of resilience may be protective but early adverse experiences may impact on the development of resilience in the first instance. This study aims to identify classes of childhood adversities among UK military veterans residing in Northern Ireland (NI) and explore levels of resilience and the mediating role resilience may play following such experiences in relation to mental health. The study utilizes data from the Northern Ireland Veterans' Health and Wellbeing Study (n = 656). All participants were UK Armed Forces veterans who were residents of NI with an average age of 56 (586 males, 70 females). Four childhood adversity classes were revealed, with almost a half of the sample experiencing early adverse experiences. Individuals who experienced a range of adversities, particularly those related to maltreatment were more likely to have PSTD, depression and anxiety disorders and lower levels of resilience. However, those who experienced adversity related to family dysfunction had similar levels of resilience as the low risk class, suggesting tentatively that some adversity may be protective. Mediation analyses revealed that veterans with elevated levels of resilience were less likely to have psychological problems following negative childhood experiences. The study highlights the importance of promoting resilience building programmes among military veterans, especially among those who experienced maltreatment as a child. UK Armed Forces veterans with elevated levels of resilience were less likely to have psychological problems following negative childhood experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the well-known deleterious health effects of childhood adversity (CA) and adulthood trauma (AT) and ageing of the global population, little is known about self-reported CA and AT in older populations. Existing findings are mixed due to methodological and sampling artefacts, in particular, recall and selection biases, and due to age-period-cohort effects. Objectives: We aim to first, provide data on the prevalence of retrospective self-reported CA and AT in a large population-based sample of older adults and, second, to discuss the data in the context of major methodological and sampling artefacts, and age-period-cohort effects. Method: Data are derived from the U.S. population-based Health and Retirement Study (N = 19,547, mean age = 67.24 ± 11.33, 59% female). Seven birth-cohorts were included (<1924, 1924–1930, 1931–1941, 1942–1947, 1948–1953, 1954–1959, >1959). Results: Overall, 35% of participants reported CA and 62% AT, with strong variability among birth-cohorts. Opposing trends were observed regarding prevalence of CA and AT. As age of cohorts increased, prevalence of CAs decreased while that of ATs increased. Investigating the distributions of incidence of specific ATs across age and period per cohort revealed incidence of exposure was associated with (1) age (e.g. having lost a child), (2) time-period (e.g. major disaster), and (3) cohort (e.g. military combat). Conclusions: Retrospective self-reported CA and AT in older samples should be interpreted with caution and with regard to major methodological challenges, including recall and selection biases. Untangling fact from artefact and examining age, period, and cohort effects will help elucidate profiles of lifetime exposures in older populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been identified as an important public health problem with serious implications. Less well understood is how distinct configurations of childhood adversities carry differential risks for mental health, emotional, and social outcomes later in life. Objective: To determine if distinct profiles of childhood adversities exist for males and females and to examine if unique associations exist between the resultant latent profiles of childhood adversities and multiple indicators of mental health and social and emotional wellbeing in adulthood. Method: Participants (N = 1,839) were a nationally representative household sample of adults currently residing in the USA and the data were collected via online self-report questionnaires. Latent class analysis was used to identify the optimal number of classes to explain ACE co-occurrence among males and females, separately. ANOVAs, chi-square tests, and t-tests were used to compare male and female classes across multiple mental health, emotional, and social wellbeing variables in adulthood. Results: Females were significantly more likely than males to report a range of ACEs and mental health, social, and emotional difficulties in adulthood. Two- and four-class models were identified as the best fit for males and females, respectively, indicating more complexity and variation in ACE exposures among females. For males and female, ACEs were strongly associated with poorer mental health, emotional, and social outcomes in adulthood. Among females, growing up in a dysfunctional home environment was a significant risk factor for adverse social outcomes in adulthood. Conclusions: Males and females have distinct patterns of childhood adversities, with females experiencing more complex and varied patterns of childhood adversity. These patterns of ACEs were associated with numerous negative mental, emotional, and social outcomes among both sexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]