Life-Course Psychosocial Adversity And Biological Aging In The Hispanic Community Health Study / Study Of Latinos: A Life-Course Model Analysis
Have you ever wondered if the stress and challenges you face throughout your life can actually change how quickly your body ages? New research suggests that they can. This study explored how various forms of psychosocial adversity—things like stress, trauma, and difficult life circumstances—experienced from childhood into adulthood, impact biological aging in individuals from Hispanic/Latino communities.
To understand this complex relationship, researchers analyzed data from a large community-based study. They looked at “epigenetic age,” which is a measure of biological age derived from chemical modifications to our DNA (called DNA methylation). These modifications can be influenced by our environment and lifestyle, and they provide insights into how our bodies are aging at a cellular level. Two different measures of epigenetic age, GrimAge and DunedinPACE, were used to get a comprehensive picture.
The findings indicate that experiencing psychosocial adversity throughout life can indeed speed up biological aging. Notably, childhood adversity had a significant indirect effect on one of the aging markers, GrimAge acceleration. This suggests that early life experiences can have a lasting impact on our biological clock, even if the effects are not always immediately apparent. The study also highlighted that the way adversity affects aging can differ depending on which specific biological aging marker is being examined.
This research helps us better understand how life’s challenges “get under the skin” and contribute to health disparities. By recognizing the profound impact of psychosocial adversity on biological aging, especially in diverse populations, we can work towards developing better strategies to support well-being and promote healthier aging for everyone.
Source: link to paper