Child abuse leaves ‘molecular scars’ on victims

PARIS: Children subjected to abuse may carry the physical hallmark of that trauma in their cells, scientists said Tuesday, in research that could help criminal investigations probing historic mistreatment. The imprints may also shed light on whether or not trauma can be passed on between generations as has long been hypothesised. A team of researchers at the University of British Columbia examined the sperm cells of 34 adult men, some of whom had been victims of child abuse years earlier. They found that the effects of the trauma were indelibly printed in 12 regions of the DNA of those men who had experienced varying levels of emotional, physical or sexual abuse. Scientists believe these alterations, known as methylation, could one day be used by investigators or courts to weigh allegations of child abuse. “If you think of genes as being like lightbulbs, DNA methylation is like a dimmer switch that controls how strong each light is — which in turn can influence how cells function,” Nicole Gladish, a PhD candidate in the university’s Department of Medical Genetics, told AFP.