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Listen to Story The ongoing Ukraine-Russia war and the Israel-Palestinian conflict have plunged millions into a humanitarian crisis, displacing families and exposing children to unrelenting violence and instability. The psychological toll of witnessing war's horrors, loss, fear, and insecurity, has been widely acknowledged, but emerging research suggests that the damage runs even deeper. A groundbreaking study from the University of Surrey highlights how war impacts children at a biological level, altering their DNA through a process called DNA methylation.
These changes could have lifelong implications for their mental and physical health, revealing the hidden costs of war on the youngest and most vulnerable victims. Biological Impacts of War on Children The first-of-its-kind research, published in JAMA Psychiatry , involved saliva samples from 1,507 Syrian refugee children, aged 6 to 19, living in informal settlements in Lebanon. Researchers analysed DNA methylation (DNAm), an epigenetic process that modifies DNA by adding chemical tags, this potentially activates or silences genes without altering the underlying genetic code.
This means that changes in the DNAm could increase vulnerability to anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress (PTST) by impairing the brain's ability to process and regulate emotions or by heightening sensitivity to stress. At the physical level, children might have weakened immunity, have the risk of chronic inflammation, or slower physical development, as observed in children exposed to trauma like war . The psychological toll of witnessing war's horrors, loss, fear, and insecurity, has been widely acknowledged, but emerging research suggests that the damage runs even deeper.
(Photo: Reuters) To assess war-related trauma, questionnaires were completed by both children and their caregivers. In collaboration with University College London, Lebanese research institutions, and an international NGO, the team discovered DNAm changes in children exposed to war events. These changes were found in genes responsible for critical functions such as neurotransmission (nerve cell communication) and intracellular transport (movement of materials within cells).
Interestingly, the study revealed that these DNA changes are specific to war trauma and differ from those caused by other adversities, such as poverty or bullying. Lead researcher Professor Michael Pluess from the University of Surrey explained, "Our findings show that war impacts children not just mentally but biologically. We observed slower epigenetic ageing in these children, indicating that war might also affect their development.
" A Palestinian boy transports water back to his family in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip amid the ongoing war. (Photo: AFP) He added, "This study sheds light on the broader and tragic cost of war on millions of children who are caught in its grip." Key Insights from the BIOPATH Study Part of the BIOPATH study, which began in 2017, this research marks a milestone in understanding the long-term impacts of trauma on refugee children.
The study also revealed notable gender differences. Girls exposed to war events exhibited more significant DNAm changes than boys, particularly in genes related to stress response and brain development. This suggests that girls may be more biologically vulnerable to trauma's long-term effects.
DNA methylation is a natural process in which methyl groups are added to DNA, acting as switches that regulate gene activity. While essential for normal development, DNAm can be influenced by environmental factors such as stress and trauma. Severe experiences, like war, can alter DNAm patterns, leaving lasting biological imprints on mental and physical health.
The findings offer a deeper understanding of how extreme stress reshapes the biology of children in war zones..
