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Early‐Life Adversity Predicts Markers of Aging‐Related Neuroinflammation, Neurodegeneration, and Cognitive Impairment in Women
Lara Fleck, Claudia Buß, M. Bauer, Maike Stein, Ralf Mekle, Lena Kock, Heiko Klawitter, Malvika Godara et al.. Annals of Neurology, 2025-01-09
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Analyses revealed significant nonlinear interaction effects of ELS severity and age on NfL and GFAP serum concentrations, total and subcortical gray matter volume loss, increased third ventricular volume, and cognitive impairment. These findings suggest that ELS profoundly exacerbates peripheral, neurostructural, and cognitive markers of brain aging. Our results are critical for the development of novel early prevention strategies that target the impact of developmental stress on the brain to mitigate aging-related neurological diseases. ANN NEUROL 2025;97:642-656.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Fleck, L., Buß, C., Bauer, M., Stein, M., Mekle, R., Kock, L., et al. (2025). Early‐Life Adversity Predicts Markers of Aging‐Related Neuroinflammation, Neurodegeneration, and Cognitive Impairment in Women. Annals of Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.27161
Vancouver
Fleck L, Buß C, Bauer M, Stein M, Mekle R, Kock L, et al. Early‐Life Adversity Predicts Markers of Aging‐Related Neuroinflammation, Neurodegeneration, and Cognitive Impairment in Women. Annals of Neurology. 2025. doi:10.1002/ana.27161. PMID: 39786167.
BibTeX
@article{fleck2025-39786167,
author = {Fleck, Lara and Buß, Claudia and Bauer, M. and Stein, Maike and Mekle, Ralf and Kock, Lena and Klawitter, Heiko and Godara, Malvika and others},
title = {{Early‐Life Adversity Predicts Markers of Aging‐Related Neuroinflammation, Neurodegeneration, and Cognitive Impairment in Women}},
journal = {Annals of Neurology},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/ana.27161},
pmid = {39786167},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.27161}
}
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Key findings
- Analyses revealed significant nonlinear interaction effects of ELS severity and age on NfL and GFAP serum concentrations, total and subcortical gray matter volume loss, increased third ventricular volume, and cognitive impairment.
- These findings suggest that ELS profoundly exacerbates peripheral, neurostructural, and cognitive markers of brain aging.
- Our results are critical for the development of novel early prevention strategies that target the impact of developmental stress on the brain to mitigate aging-related neurological diseases.
Why it matters
In women, greater early-life adversity was linked with markers of neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, brain volume loss, and cognitive impairment as they aged. The authors say these findings could inform early prevention strategies, but no treatment or prevention method is tested here.
Study details
- Participants179
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 57/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Annals of Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Annals of Neurology: journal h-index 437 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 179 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 18 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 6.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 21.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 18 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Christine C. Heim: h-index 70 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 11 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39786167) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 57 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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