In major affective disorders, early life trauma predict increased nitro-oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation and recurrence of major affective disorders, suicidal behaviors and a lowered quality of life

Abstract

Early life trauma (ELT) may increase the risk towards bipolar diso rder (BD) and major depression (MDD), disorders associated with activated neuro-oxidative and neuro-nitrosative stress (O&NS) p athways. It has remained elusive whether ELTs are associated with O&NS and which ELTs are associated with disti nct affective disorder phenotypes. This case-control study examined patients with BD ( n = 68) and MDD ( n = 37) and healthy controls ( n = 66). The Child Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) was used to assess specific ELT. We measured malondialdehyde (MDA) , lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP); NO metabolites (NOx), paraoxonase 1 activity, zinc, albumin, high density lipoprotein cho- lesterol and -SH groups and computed z-unit weighted composite scores. Physical neglect significantly predicts higher z-unit weighted composite scores of LOOH+SOD, LOOH+SOD+NOx, LOOH+SOD+NOx + MDA and LOOH+SOD+NOx + AOPP. Sexual abuse was associated with a significantly lower composite s core of zinc+albumin+SH. Emotio nal abuse was associated with severity of depression and anxiety, number of depressive and mani c episodes, alcohol and hypnotics use, lifetime suicidal behavior and lowered quality of life. Sexual abuse was associated with an increased risk towards BD, but not MDD. ELT, especially physical neglect, may drive increased (nitro-)oxidativ e stress coupled with lipid and protein oxida tion, which - together with emotional abuse - may play a role in severity of illness, lowered quality of life and MDD. ELTs are also associated with the onset of BD, but this link did not appear to be related to activated O&NS pathways. These novel findings deserve confirma tion in prospective studies.