Childhood trauma linked to biological aging and gaze avoidance

Key Points:

• New research published in PLOS One shows that childhood maltreatment is linked to accelerated biological aging, measured via epigenetic clocks, and a tendency to avoid eye contact, both independently associated with higher emotional and behavioral difficulties in children.
• The study used a pediatric buccal epigenetic clock to accurately assess biological aging from cheek swabs in maltreated children compared to typically developing peers, finding that maltreated children exhibited faster biological aging despite similar chronological ages.
• Eye-tracking data revealed that maltreated children spent less time looking at the eye region of human faces, a behavior specific to social cues involving faces, which correlates with social and emotional challenges.
• Statistical analysis indicated that accelerated biological aging and reduced eye contact occur in parallel rather than sequentially, both independently linked to behavioral difficulties, suggesting distinct but concurrent effects of early trauma on biology and social behavior.
• The study’s cross-sectional design and small sample size limit causal conclusions, but findings highlight the potential for biological and behavioral markers to inform tailored interventions for young trauma survivors, emphasizing the need for longitudinal research.