Understanding how childhood experiences affect health in young adulthood

Childhood Maltreatment and Disease Risk in Young Adulthood: The Role of HPA Regulation in Adolescence

NIH-funded research Kaiser Foundation Research Institute · NIH-11095716

This project looks at how difficult childhood experiences might lead to health problems later in life by focusing on the body's stress response system.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionKaiser Foundation Research Institute NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Oakland, UNITED STATES)
Project IDNIH-11095716 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

We are exploring how childhood maltreatment might increase the risk for chronic diseases as individuals reach young adulthood. Our focus is on the body's stress response system, known as the HPA axis, to see if it plays a key role in connecting early experiences to later health. This work will follow individuals from childhood through young adulthood to observe how these factors develop over time. By understanding these specific pathways, we aim to discover new opportunities for preventing health issues in people who experienced difficult childhoods.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This research is relevant to individuals who experienced childhood maltreatment and are now in adolescence or young adulthood.

Not a fit: Patients who have not experienced childhood maltreatment or are outside the age range of adolescence to young adulthood may not directly benefit from this specific research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify new ways to prevent chronic diseases in young adults who experienced childhood maltreatment.

How similar studies have performed: While previous work has linked childhood maltreatment, HPA axis function, and disease risk in pairs, this is the first to test the full connection using a developmental approach from childhood to young adulthood.

Where this research is happening

Oakland, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.