How Childhood Stress Leads to Adult Disease

Scientists at the MDI Biological Laboratory and other Maine institutions are at the forefront of research that is helping people lead longer, healthier lives. In “Science That Matters,” we will take a look at the exciting discoveries that are helping to prevent, treat and cure the degenerative diseases that affect us all.

Medicine has long known that children who are exposed to chronic stress are more vulnerable as adults to diseases such as arthritis, cancer and heart disease — even mental illness.

But the molecular mechanisms that are responsible are unknown. MDI Biological Laboratory scientist, Dr. James A. Coffman, Ph.D., is studying these molecular mechanisms in zebrafish, which share many of their genes with humans.