title: Early life trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, and allostatic load in a sample of American Indian adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Among American Indians, prior research has found associations between early life trauma and the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adulthood. Given the physiological changes associated with PTSD, early life trauma could indirectly contribute to chronic disease risk. However, the impact of early life trauma on adult physical health in this population has not been previously investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated associations among early life trauma, PTSD, and 13 physiological biomarkers that index cardiovascular, metabolic, neuroendocrine, anthropometric, and immune function in adulthood by conducting correlation and structural equation modeling path analyses (N = 197). Physiological systems were analyzed individually as well as in a composite measure of allostatic load.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found early life trauma was related to PTSD, which in turn was related to elevated allostatic load in adulthood. Among the various components of allostatic load, the neuroendocrine system was the only one significantly related to early life stress and subsequent PTSD development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Changes in allostatic load might reflect adaptive adjustments that maximize short-term survival by enhancing stress reactivity, but at a cost to later health. Interventions should focus on improving access to resources for children who experience early life trauma in order to avoid PTSD and other harmful sequelae.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, Da1rtmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, 03755.
authors.forename: Zaneta
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Thayer
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Washington State University, Spokane, Washington.
authors.forename: Celestina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barbosa-Leiker
authors.affiliation: Elson S Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, Washington.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McDonell
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Washington State University, Spokane, Washington.
authors.forename: Lonnie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Elson S Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, Washington.
authors.forename: Dedra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Buchwald
authors.affiliation: Community & Behavioral Health Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz, Colorado.
authors.forename: Spero
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D052636:Allostasis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003120:Colorado / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000067073:Psychological Trauma / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology