Doctoral Dissertation Research: Intergenerational Consequences of Interpersonal Violence: The Role of Fetal Programming

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The intergenerational consequences of prenatal stress and its impact on fetal development are of growing interest to biological anthropologists. However, the mechanisms by which maternal experiences are transmitted to their offspring are poorly understood, and most studies to date have focused on subclinical disorders in high-income settings. This doctoral dissertation project is a study of the intergenerational consequences of exposure to interpersonal violence among women and their developing offspring. Interpersonal violence remains a significant societal issue in many locations, and while many studies have examined the consequences for health and well-being across the life course, the enduring intergenerational effects remain under-investigated. Findings from this study will contribute to our understanding of the biological mechanisms that perpetuate the deleterious health consequences of violence to the next generation. This project will support graduate student training and mentoring, international research collaborations, K-12 science outreach activities, and inform public health and clinical research for maternal and child health.The primary objective of this study is to investigate the biological mechanisms through which exposure to interpersonal violence impacts not only maternal biology but also fetal and infant development. Specifically, we will examine whether maternal exposure to interpersonal violence and psychosocial stressors impact offspring stress regulation, neurodevelopment, and DNA methylation patterns, in women and their infants in Brazil. We predict that maternal exposure to violence will be associated with increased hair cortisol concentrations during pregnancy, and for infants at one year of age, altered DNA methylation patterns and dysregulated diurnal cortisol patterns. The investigators will also take a mechanistic approach by investigating the mediating role of DNA methylation on infant diurnal cortisol rhythms. This study advances knowledge by focusing on methylation and hormonal changes occurring early in life, and by focusing on a contextually salient stressor, interpersonal violence.