The causes of type 1 diabetes are unknown, but genetic and environmental factors are involved.It is usually preceded by an attack of the immune system of the body that kills the beta cells of the pancreas that produce insulin.
In addition to genetic predisposition, several environmental factors such as viral infection, eating habits in childhood, birth weight and early weight gain, as well as chronic stress, have been proposed as risk factors.
A new investigation by Sweden, published in 'Diabetologia', shows that serious vital events (sles) in childhood, such as the death or disease of a family member, divorce/separation of parents, a newChild or adult in the family and family conflicts, they can triple the risk of subsequently developing type 1 diabetes (DM1).
As the incidence of type 1 diabetes in young children is increasing in most countries in the world, environmental factors are being examined more seriously.This new research aimed to examine whether psychological stress in terms of Sles experiences, along with the perception of parental stress parents and lack of social support during the child, first 14 years of life can be risk factors for developing type diabetes1.
The prospective work based on the unique population 'The All Babies in Southeast Sweden (ABIS) Study' invited all families with children born between October 1, 1997 and September 30, 1999 in southeast Sweden to participate.The subsuempra included 10,495 families participating in at least one of the four data collections taken when the children were between 2 and 14 years of age.
To be included in the analysis, the child should not have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he first participated.A total of 58 children were subsequently diagnosed with DM1.The diagnostic age was obtained from the National Registry 'Swediabkids' in 2012 and family psychological stress was measured by questionnaires to parents who evaluate the serious events of life, parental stress, parents' concerns and paternal social support.
The authors found that the childhood experience of a serious vital event was associated with a higher risk of the future diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, with children who experience this type of events almost three times more likely to develop type 1 diabetes than those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those that those thatThey do not suffer, even after adjusting for confusion factors.
In relation to other environmental factors discussed as risk factors, the increase in the risk of type 1 diabetes caused by sles found in this study is comparable to that of factors such as birth weight, child nutrition factors and enterovirus infection.However, when comparing individual risk factors, genetic predisposition is even more important.
The Beta Cell Stress Hypothesis
In this study sample, there were 12 times more risk of developing type 1 diabetes for a child in a family in which another first degree member has DM1, about four times more than the increase in the risk associated with a SLE.The authors say: "Psychological stress must be treated as a potential risk factor and examined in more detail in future epidemiological studies, for example, in relation to genetic risk."
According to researchers, one of the possibilities that unite sles with the development of type 1 diabetes is the hypothesis of beta cell stress, which proposes that the experience of a child's SLE could contribute to the stress of beta cells for greater resistanceto insulin, as well as increased demand forInsulin due to the response to physiological stress, including high levels of cortisol stress hormone.
Another possible mechanism that relates tension to immunological diseases is a more general imbalance in the immune system as a result of chronic stress.This imbalance can contribute to an immune reaction against beta cells of insulin producers.
"According to several previous retrospective studies, this first prospective study concludes that the experience of a serious life event (which reasonably indicates psychological stress) during the first 14 years of life can be a risk factor for developing type 1 diabetes"The researchers sentence.
The study examined the serious vital events experienced at any time before diagnosis, so, according to the authors, more studies are needed to determine when psychological stress influences with the autoimmune process and in association with which other factors, such as genetic,infections or other pronounced stress periods of beta cells.
