Long-term and multigenerational effects of childhood abuse and neglect on health
Long-term and multigenerational impact of child abuse and neglect on health
This work looks at how childhood abuse or neglect can change people's bodies and minds over time and may affect their children.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11180142 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers follow people who experienced childhood abuse or neglect across many years to track mental, physical, and cognitive health outcomes. They collect medical information, interviews, biological samples (like blood) and may use brain imaging to measure inflammation, cellular aging, epigenetic changes, and brain differences. Some parts of the project also look at effects in the next generation to see whether and how impacts carry forward. The goal is to identify biological and psychological paths from early trauma to later health so better prevention and care can be developed.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults who experienced abuse or neglect in childhood (and in some parts their biological children or family members) who can provide health information and biological samples and participate in follow-up visits.
Not a fit: People without a history of childhood abuse or neglect or those unwilling/unable to provide samples or attend follow-up visits are unlikely to gain direct benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify early warning signs and targets for treatments that reduce long-term health harms for survivors and their children.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has linked childhood adversity to inflammation, brain changes, and accelerated cellular aging, but long-term prospective human evidence is limited, so many aspects of this work are relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- University of Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Handley, Elizabeth D. — University of Rochester
- Study coordinator: Handley, Elizabeth D.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.