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Inflammation in Childhood Linked to Onset of Mental Health Disorders

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Aug 23, 2024.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Aug. 23, 2024 -- Low-grade systemic inflammation across childhood and adolescence is associated with the subsequent onset of mental health disorders, according to a study published online Aug. 21 in JAMA Psychiatry.

Edward R. Palmer, M.B.B.S., from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, and colleagues examined trajectories of inflammation, as measured by C-reactive protein (CRP), in children and adolescents using data from the U.K.-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children; inflammation was assessed at ages 9, 15, and 17 years. Data were included for 6,556 participants; outcomes were assessed at age 24 years.

The researchers identified three classes of inflammation: persistently low CRP levels (6,109 individuals) and persistently elevated CRP levels peaking at 9 years and 17 years (early peak, 197 individuals; late peak, 250 individuals). Compared with participants with persistently low CRP, participants in the early-peak group had an increased risk for psychotic disorder (odds ratio, 4.60), a higher risk for severe depression (odds ratio, 4.37), and higher Homeostasis Model Assessment scores (β = 0.05). No associations with outcomes were seen for the late-peak group.

"This study adds new information about the chronicity and timing of inflammation predating illness and provides insight into the co-occurrence of related cardiometabolic disorders," the authors write.

One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical and health care industries.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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