We all know how social or financial pressures can affect our physical and mental health, but can such stress exist on the genetic level?
A team at the (COPH) published a scholarly paper on the subject, offering data on how external tensions play a part in our internal makeup.
“The relationship between social adversity, micro-RNA expression and post-traumatic stress in a prospective, community-based cohort’’ appeared in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Mental Health.
Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the study was led by professor along with first author and assistant professor . The paper’s other contributors include professor , student Mackenzie Maggio and staff members Agaz Wani and Zachary Graham − all researchers with the college’s . The paper includes collaborators from Harvard and Columbia universities.
“This study helps explain how challenging life conditions can affect health by identifying biological signals linked to both social hardship and post-traumatic stress symptoms,’’ the authors say. “This matters because it shows that such factors as financial hardship and perceived discrimination can cause measurable biological changes.’’
The authors research falls under the topic of epigenetics, the study of how behaviors and environmental factors cause changes that affect the way genes work. Unlike genetic mutations, epigenetic changes don’t alter a person’s underlying DNA sequence; instead, they serve as gatekeepers of cellular function, acting as biochemical switches that turn genes "on" or "off." Because epigenetic processes serve as both mediators of and responders to social and environmental challenges, they influence biological outcomes.
“Our research is motivated to get at the biological underpinnings of mental health disorders and resilience,’’ said Wildman. “To study how environmental exposures such as trauma ‘get under the skin’ and impact mental health, we look at biomarkers such as micro-RNAs (small molecules that help regulate how genes work) in community settings.’’
Findings
The findings strengthen the case that reducing social adversity is a health intervention and they point toward future tools for earlier identification and prevention of severe stress-related symptoms.
Micro-RNAs are a relatively new type of biological marker for this type of research. Wide-ranging fields such as cancer biology have identified them as particularly sensitive sensors of environmental stressors.
“We’ve worked on other markers over the years, but this type of signal allows us to track changes in the biology of a person or a population over time,’’ Wang said.
Using repeated blood samples from adults in the Detroit Neighborhood Health Study, the team found 86 micro-RNAs associated with financial difficulties, perceived discrimination, cumulative trauma and the severity of post-traumatic stress. Many of these micro-RNAs are involved in immune function and brain-related pathways, suggesting possible links between stress and mental health.
“The findings strengthen the case that reducing social adversity is a health intervention and they point toward future tools for earlier identification and prevention of severe stress-related symptoms − especially in communities often underrepresented in biomedical research,’’ the authors report. These results are not yet a clinical test, but they highlight measurable pathways that may guide better prevention and care.’’
The USF-led study adds to a growing body of literature that has established links between exposure to social adversity and adverse mental and physical health.
“We hope our work highlights the fact that environmental exposures, both positive and negative, can impact biology,’’ Wildman said. “It seems reasonable to limit negative environmental exposures and enhance positive experiences.’’