Como mudanças em eventos adversos na primeira infância impactam na aceleração da idade epigenética e no bem-estar psicológico no início da adolescência

This project primarily has two-fold objectives: Scientific objectives: Characterize Adverse Early Childhood Events (AECE): using the Generation 21 (G21) Portuguese birth cohort to systematically characterize the spectrum of early-life adversities, mapping their prevalence and patterns within the cohort. Assess the Impact of Early Adversity on pace of epigenetic aging: Investigate how varying levels and types of early adversity influence the pace of epigenetic aging, utilizing the Dunedin PACE epigenetic clock as a key analytical tool. Evaluate Psychological Adjustment as a Mediator: Examine the mediating role of psychological adjustment in the relationship between early adversity and the pace of epigenetic aging, determining whether effective psychological adjustment can mitigate the impact of adversity on biological aging processes associated with later health/disease. Explore Mechanisms Linking Adversity to Accelerated Aging: Disentangle the complex interactions between physiological stress responses and epigenetic changes, aiming to identify specific pathways through which adversity accelerates biological aging. Societal Objectives: Inform Public Health Policies: Translate the project’s findings into recommendations for public health policies aimed at mitigating the impacts of early-life adversity, with a focus on early detection and intervention strategies. Educational Program Integration: Leverage insights from the project to develop or enhance educational material and advocacy campaigns, emphasizing the critical importance of early-life environments on long-term health and development. Foster Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration among experts in psychoneurobiology, public health, genomics, psychology, and epigenetics to foster a holistic understanding of early adversity and its impacts. Raise Public Awareness: Utilize the project’s outcomes to raise public awareness about the significance of early-life conditions, advocating for supportive interventions and environments that promote healthy development. Guide Future Research Directions: Establish a foundation for future research into the biological and psychological mechanisms underlying the impact of early adversity, setting the stage for innovative studies and interventions in the field.