Molecular markers of neuroendocrine function and mitochondrial biogenesis associated with early life stress

•Methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor promotor region (NR3C1) significantly mediated the relation between early adversity and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn).•This result suggests NR3C1 methylation may be an important mechanism linking early adversity and changes in mtDNAcn, a marker of cellular energy metabolism.•There was a positive association between early adversity and mtDNAcn, and negative associations of early adversity with NR3C1 methylation and NR3C1 methylation with mtDNAcn.