Cardiovascular reactivity has been proposed as a biomarker linking childhood adversity and poorer health. In the current study, we examined the association of childhood adversity, cardiovascular reactivity, and health in the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study (n = 922) and Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) studies (n = 1,015). In both studies, participants who experienced more childhood adversity had lower cardiovascular reactivity. In addition, people with lower cardiovascular reactivity had poorer self-reported health and greater inflammation. Dunedin participants with lower cardiovascular reactivity were aging biologically faster, and MIDUS participants with lower heart rate reactivity had increased risk of early mortality. Cardiovascular reactivity was not associated with hypertension in either study. Results were partially accounted for by greater reactivity among more conscientious, less depressed, and higher functioning participants. These results suggest that people who experienced childhood adversity have a blunted physiological response, which is associated with poorer health. The findings highlight the importance of accounting for individual differences when assessing cardiovascular reactivity using cognitive stressor tasks.

心血管反应性已被提议作为连接童年逆境和较差健康状况的生物标志物。在当前的研究中，我们在但尼丁多学科健康与发展研究 ( n = 922) 和美国中年 (MIDUS) 研究 ( n= 1,015）。在这两项研究中，经历过更多童年逆境的参与者心血管反应性较低。此外，心血管反应性较低的人自我报告的健康状况较差，炎症也较严重。但尼丁心血管反应性较低的参与者在生物学上衰老得更快，而心率反应性较低的 MIDUS 参与者早期死亡的风险增加。在这两项研究中，心血管反应性与高血压无关。结果在一定程度上是由于更尽责、更少抑郁和更高功能的参与者之间的更大反应。这些结果表明，经历过童年逆境的人生理反应迟钝，这与健康状况较差有关。