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Biomarkers · Journal article
European Journal of Psychotraumatology · September 2, 2026
Early or partial results. Treat as a signal, not a conclusion.
This cross-sectional study in 116 formerly out-of-home placed young adults found that specific types and developmental timing of childhood maltreatment (abuse, neglect) showed highest variable importance for glutathione reductase (GRed) and the GPx/GRed ratio using conditional random forest regression. However, no statistically significant associations were reported for overall maltreatment severity, multiplicity, or duration with any oxidative stress biomarker, and the type-specific findings lack formal significance testing, limiting their clinical interpretability.
Cross-sectional observational study. 116 adults (30.5% women; mean age 26.3 years) with previous residential care placements.. Intervention: Exposure to childhood maltreatment types and timing (parental abuse, neglect, peer violence, sexual abuse) during specific developmental periods.. n = 116. Germany, Switzerland (University Hospital Ulm, University Psychiatric Hospital Basel, University of Lausanne, University of Munich affiliated sites)..
Abuse and neglect during adolescence showed highest variable importance for GRed; abuse associated with increased GRed, neglect with decreased GRed Neglect at ages 8 and 12 showed highest variable importance for GPx/GRed ratio and were positively associated with the ratio No significant associations found between overall CM severity, multiplicity, or duration and any oxidative stress biomarkers examined
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The findings are exploratory and do not yet support changes to clinical practice. While the study suggests that type and timing of maltreatment may differentially affect oxidative stress biomarkers, the lack of statistical significance for primary associations and the surrogate nature of biomarkers mean this work requires replication before informing prevention or treatment strategies for mental health following childhood maltreatment.
Small cross-sectional study of biomarker associations in a specific population with exploratory statistical methods; type- and timing-specific findings lack statistical significance for primary endpoints, limiting inference to hypothesis-generating.
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The findings are exploratory and do not yet support changes to clinical practice. While the study suggests that type and timing of maltreatment may differentially affect oxidative stress biomarkers, the lack of statistical significance for primary associations and the surrogate nature of biomarkers mean this work requires replication before informing prevention or treatment strategies for mental health following childhood maltreatment.
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Background: Childhood maltreatment (CM) is associated with an increased risk of mental disorders, with oxidative stress (OS) being proposed as a potential mediator. However, it remains unclear whether exposure to specific types of CM during distinct developmental periods is associated with altered OS levels.Objective: This study aimed to explore the association between CM type and timing and OS in young adulthood.Methods: We studied 116 adults (30.5% women; mean age = 26.3 years) with previous residential care placements. CM exposure was assessed with the Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure (MACE-X) scale, capturing types (parental abuse, neglect, peer violence, sexual abuse), overall severity, multiplicity, and duration. OS was measured via blood-based biomarkers: superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GRed), and GPx/GRed ratio. Conditional random forest regressions and Spearman correlations were used to test effects of CM types and timing on OS.Results: Abuse and neglect during adolescence showed the highest variable importance (VI) for GRed. Abuse was associated with increased, and neglect with decreased GRed. Neglect at ages 8 and 12 showed the highest VI for GPx/GRed and were positively associated with the biomarker ratio. Furthermore, no significant associations were found between overall CM severity, multiplicity, or duration and any of the OS biomarkers examined.Conclusion: Type- and timing-specific characteristics may be important when examining associations between CM and OS in adulthood. More research is needed to test whether such associations can inform preventive strategies that aim to mitigate mental health impairments following CM.
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