Emotional symptoms and inflammatory biomarkers in childhood: Associations in two Australian birth cohorts

Katherine Lange; Cindy Pham; Izabela E Fedyszyn; Fallon Cook; David P Burgner; Craig A Olsson; Marnie Downes; Naomi Priest; Toby Mansell; Mimi L K Tang; Anne-Louise Ponsonby; Christos Symeonides; Amy Loughman; Peter Vuillermin; Jessica A Kerr; Lawrence Gray; Peter D Sly; Kate Lycett; John B Carlin; Richard Saffery; Melissa Wake; Meredith O'Connor

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2023.10.042

Emotional symptoms and inflammatory biomarkers in childhood: Associations in two Australian birth cohorts

J Affect Disord. 2024 Jan 1:344:356-364. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.10.042. Epub 2023 Oct 11.

Authors

Katherine Lange¹, Cindy Pham², Izabela E Fedyszyn³, Fallon Cook⁴, David P Burgner⁵, Craig A Olsson⁶, Marnie Downes⁴, Naomi Priest⁷, Toby Mansell², Mimi L K Tang², Anne-Louise Ponsonby⁸, Christos Symeonides⁹, Amy Loughman¹⁰, Peter Vuillermin¹¹, Jessica A Kerr¹², Lawrence Gray¹¹, Peter D Sly¹³, Kate Lycett⁶, John B Carlin², Richard Saffery², Melissa Wake¹⁴, Meredith O'Connor¹⁵

Affiliations

¹ Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia; University of Melbourne, Department of Paediatrics, Parkville, VIC, Australia. Electronic address: katherine.lange@mcri.edu.au.
² Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia; University of Melbourne, Department of Paediatrics, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
³ Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia; University of Melbourne, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
⁴ Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
⁵ Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia; University of Melbourne, Department of Paediatrics, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Monash University, Department of Paediatrics, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
⁶ Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia; University of Melbourne, Department of Paediatrics, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Deakin University, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
⁷ Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Australian National University, Centre for Social Research and Methods, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
⁸ Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia; University of Melbourne, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia; University of Melbourne, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
⁹ Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Minderoo Foundation, Perth, WA, Australia.
¹⁰ Deakin University, Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT), Geelong, VIC, Australia.
¹¹ Deakin University, School of Medicine, Geelong, VIC, Australia; Barwon Health, Child Health Research Unit, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
¹² Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia; University of Melbourne, Department of Paediatrics, Parkville, VIC, Australia; University of Otago, Department of Psychological Medicine, Christchurch, New Zealand.
¹³ University of Queensland, Child Health Research Centre, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
¹⁴ Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia; University of Melbourne, Department of Paediatrics, Parkville, VIC, Australia; University of Auckland, Liggins Institute, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand.
¹⁵ Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia; University of Melbourne, Department of Paediatrics, Parkville, VIC, Australia; University of Melbourne, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, Parkville, VIC, Australia.

PMID: 37832736
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.10.042

Abstract

Background: An increasing body of evidence supports associations between inflammation and mental health difficulties, but the onset and directionality of these relationships are unclear.

Methods: Data sources: Barwon Infant Study (BIS; n = 500 4-year-olds) and Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC; n = 1099 10-13-year-olds).

Measures: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire emotional symptoms at 4, 10-11 and 12-13 years, and circulating levels of two inflammatory biomarkers, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA), at 4 and 11-12 years.

Analysis: Adjusted quantile regression models examining cross-sectional associations between emotional symptoms and inflammation in 4-year-olds (BIS), and cross-lagged associations in 10-13-year-olds (LSAC).

Results: We identified a small association between higher emotional symptoms at 10-11 years and higher GlycA levels a year later (standardised coefficient β = 0.09; 95%CI: 0.02 to 0.15). Sex-stratified analyses revealed this association was stronger for boys (β = 0.13; 95%CI: 0.04 to 0.21) than girls (β = 0.01; 95%CI: -0.09 to 0.11). These associations were not observed for hsCRP. There was little evidence of an association between higher GlycA or hsCRP at 11-12 years and emotional symptoms a year later, or cross-sectional associations between emotional symptoms and hsCRP or GlycA at 4 years.

Limitations: A single time-point of biomarker collection in late childhood precluded adjustment for baseline inflammatory biomarkers.

Conclusions: Our results support the direction of association from emotional symptoms to inflammation in late childhood, with potential sex differences. This adds to the body of evidence that addressing emotional symptoms in childhood is a major priority in optimising overall health throughout the life course.

Keywords: Childhood; GlycA; Inflammation; Longitudinal; Mental health; hsCRP.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Australia / epidemiology
Biomarkers
Birth Cohort*
C-Reactive Protein* / metabolism
Child
Child, Preschool
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Glycoproteins
Humans
Inflammation / epidemiology
Longitudinal Studies
Male

Substances

C-Reactive Protein
Biomarkers
Glycoproteins