Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) represent highly stressful events in the first 18 years of life that include abuse, neglect, and household and community-level dysfunction. Greater exposure to ACEs are associated with greater increases in the risk of cardiovascular diseases and death. Our laboratory has previously observed that vascular function is disrupted in young adults with prior ACE exposure, even though these individuals appear to be healthy clinically (i.e., no classic clinical cardiovascular disease risk factors). There is a need to identify and understand the biological mechanisms underlying these vascular impairments to inform effective interventions to reduce cardiovascular risks the millions of individuals affected by ACEs. The body's response to stress is coordinated across various systems, all of which depend on energy supplied by mitochondria (often referred to as the "powerhouse of cells"). Based on new evidence across multiple physiological systems from our team, our overarching hypothesis is that disruption of mitochondrial function contributes to cardiovascular impairments among young adults with ACEs. Here we propose the initial pilot work necessary to begin to understand these associations, which will directly inform identification of individuals who may be most vulnerable to stress-related cardiovascular risk and the development of interventions to promote cardiovascular-stress resilience. Our aims are to: 1. Determine whether mitochondrial oxidative stress contributes to impaired vascular function among young adults who experienced early life adversity. 2. Determine whether reducing mitochondrial oxidative stress improves the cellular stress and integrated cardiovascular response to laboratory-based psychosocial stress among young adults who experienced early life adversity.
Age range
18 Years – 29 Years
Sex
ALL
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Vascular endothelial function
Timeframe: Prior to supplementation and 60 minutes after supplementation
Blood pressure
Timeframe: 75 minutes after supplementation, during, and for 45 minutes after completion of the Trier Social Stress Test.
Endothelial Cell Microparticle Release
Timeframe: 60 minutes after supplementation and immediately following, 5-10 min, 15-20 min, and 45 min following the Trier Social Stress Test.
Cortisol
Timeframe: 60 minutes after supplementation and immediately following, 5-10 min, 15-20 min, and 45 min following the Trier Social Stress Test.