Childhood exposure to danger increases Black youths’ alcohol consumption, accelerated aging, and cardiac risk as young adults: A test of the incubation hypothesis

Dev Psychopathol. 2025 Apr 28:1-16. doi: 10.1017/S0954579425000264. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Using the dual-pathway framework (Beach et al., a), we tested a Neuro-immune Network (NIN) hypothesis: i.e., that chronically elevated inflammatory processes may have delayed (i.e., incubation) effects on young adult substance use, leading to negative health outcomes. In a sample of 449 participants in the Family and Community Health Study who were followed from age 10 to age 29, we examined a non-self-report index of young adult elevated alcohol consumption (EAC). By controlling self-reported substance use at the transition to adulthood, we were able to isolate a significant delayed (incubation) effect from childhood exposure to danger to EAC (β = -.157, p = .006), which contributed to significantly worse aging outomes. Indirect effects from danger to aging outcomes via EAC were: GrimAge (IE = .010, [.002, .024]), Cardiac Risk (IE = -.004, [-.011, -.001]), DunedinPACE (IE = .002, [.000, .008]). In exploratory analyses we examined potential sex differences in effects, showing slightly stronger incubation effects for men and slightly stronger effects of EAC on aging outcomes for women. Results support the NIN hypothesis that incubation of immune pathway effects contributes to elevated alcohol consumption in young adulthood, resulting in accelerated aging and elevated cardiac risk outcomes via health behavior.

PMID:40289919 | DOI:10.1017/S0954579425000264