Perceived parental care during childhood, ACTH, cortisol and nicotine dependence in the adult.

Studies evidenced the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and tobacco smokingin adulthood. An appropriate parenting style has been found to be associated with children’s less fre-quent tobacco consumption. Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hyperactivity could representthe potential link between ACEs, mood disorders and smoking susceptibility. We studied a sample of 50male smokers, affected by nicotine dependence and 50 controls who never smoked. Self-reported ret-rospective perception of neglect (Child Experience of Care and Abuse: CECA-Q questionnaire), age ofsmoking onset, number of cigarette/day, psychiatric symptoms (Symptoms Check List 90 scale: SCL 90)and basal level of ACTH and cortisol have been evaluated. Total SCL-90 scores, CECA-Q values and cortisolplasma level were significantly higher among smokers. Cortisol and ACTH values showed a significantdirect correlation with CECA-Q and SCL90 total score and an inverse significant correlation with the ageof smoking. Cortisol and ACTH did not correlate with the number of cigarette smoked. Once controlledfor SCL90 and CECA-Q with multiple regression measures, the association between smoking and hor-mone levels reversed, suggesting that increased cortisol and ACTH basal levels were attributable topreexisting conditions such as early-life exposure to emotional neglect, psychological problems and apredisposition to addictive behavior plasma levelweresignificantly higheramongsmokers.CortisolandACTHvaluesshowedasignificant direct correlationwithCECA-QandSCL90totalscoreandaninversesignificant correlationwiththeage of smoking.CortisolandACTHdidnotcorrelatewiththenumberofcigarettesmoked.Oncecontrolled for SCL90andCECA-Qwithmultipleregressionmeasures,theassociationbetweensmokingandhor- mone levelsreversed,suggestingthatincreasedcortisolandACTHbasallevelswereattributableto preexistingconditionssuchasearly-lifeexposuretoemotionalneglect,psychologicalproblemsanda predisposition toaddictivebehavior