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A recent study conducted by the University of Michigan suggests that traumatic events during childhood may have long-term effects on physical health as people age.

The research, published in Science Advances and led by scientist Kate Duchowny from the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, examined the muscle function of older adults in relation to their childhood experiences.

Duchowny and her team analyzed muscle tissue samples from 879 participants aged 70 and older, exploring the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and oxidative phosphorylation, crucial processes for cellular energy production.

Findings revealed a correlation between childhood adversity and reduced ATP production, indicating poorer muscle metabolism later in life. Approximately 45% of participants reported experiencing one or more adverse childhood events, such as parental abuse or substance misuse.

"What these results suggest is that these early formative childhood experiences have the ability to get under the skin and influence skeletal muscle mitochondria, which is important because mitochondrial function is related to a host of aging-related outcomes," Duchowny explained, according to Neuroscience News.

"If you have compromised mitochondrial function, that doesn't bode well for a range of health outcomes, including everything from chronic conditions to physical function and disability limitations."

Study co-author Anthony Molina, a professor of medicine at the University of California San Diego, emphasized the significance of mitochondrial function in aging outcomes, noting its association with various health conditions and physical limitations.

Molina, who provided expertise in muscle bioenergetics, together with his team, compared images of participants' muscles taken during exercise and during rest inside an MRI machine.

Using 31 PMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mitochondrial respirometry, they were able to asses muscle mitochondrial functions such as how fast muscles synthesize ATP after it was depleted by exercise and how fast muscles consume oxygen.

"You can think about oxygen consumption rate as a way to measure the flow of electrons that's going through the electron transport train, and it's these electrons that generate the membrane potential that drives the synthesis of ATP," Molina explained.

"It's a really precise way of assessing mitochondrial bioenergetic capacity."

Despite controlling for factors like age, gender, smoking status and physical activity, the study found childhood trauma to be a significant predictor of muscle dysfunction in older adults.

Molina highlighted the novelty of the research, noting its focus on the retrospective examination of factors influencing mitochondrial function and subsequent aging outcomes.

"I've also shown that these measures are related to cognitive ability and dementia. But here's the first time we're looking backwards, at what kinds of things that could lead to those differences in mitochondrial function that we know can drive differences in healthy aging outcomes among older adults," Molina said.

The findings highlight the importance of addressing childhood traumas to mitigate their lasting impact on physical health and aging.