Study: Childhood Trauma Rewires Immune System, Increases Mental Health Risks
New Delhi: A new study has found that childhood trauma can lead to long-lasting biological changes in the brain and immune system, increasing the risk of developing psychiatric disorders later in life.
Published in the journal Brain Medicine, the study highlights how early life stress can become “biologically embedded,” resulting in structural brain changes and altered immune responses that may persist for decades.
“Childhood trauma can fundamentally reprogram the immune system,” said Sara Poletti, senior researcher at IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele in Milan, Italy. “This creates vulnerability to conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, and other psychiatric illnesses, even years after the traumatic experience.”
The immune system, best known for defending the body against infections, also plays a vital role in maintaining mental health. According to the researchers, childhood adversity may place the immune system in a prolonged state of inflammation, which has been closely linked to mood disorders and other psychiatric conditions.
Researchers identified specific inflammatory markers that are commonly found in individuals with a history of childhood trauma. These markers may serve as early warning signs and could help in developing new, more effective treatments. One potential treatment discussed in the study involves interleukin-2, an immunomodulatory agent that helps regulate immune activity and may be useful in managing mood disorders.
Mood disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD), are among the most common mental illnesses worldwide. The World Health Organization reports that MDD affects about 12% of people during their lifetime, while BD affects around 2%.
The findings support the need for a shift toward precision psychiatry—an approach that treats mental illness based on individual biology, genetics, and life experiences, rather than focusing only on symptoms.
Poletti added that understanding how trauma influences immune function can guide future mental health strategies. “Our aim is to move from treating mental illness after it appears to preventing it altogether—especially in those exposed to trauma early in life,” she said.
Kanchan Chaurasiya joined Medical Dialogues in 2025 as a Media and Marketing Intern. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Arts from Delhi University and has completed certifications in digital marketing. She has a strong interest in health news, content creation, hospital updates, and emerging trends. At Medical Dialogues, Kanchan manages social media and also creates web stories to enhance mobile content reach and audience engagement.