Lifetime chronic stress exposures, stress hormones, and biological aging: Results from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study.

Jenna L Hansen, Judith E Carroll, Teresa E Seeman, Steve W Cole, Kelly E Rentscher

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. · pubmed

Paper

Abstract

Psychosocial stress and adversity have been linked to accelerated aging and increased risk for age-related diseases. Animal and in vitro studies have shown that exposure to stress hormones (catecholamines, glucocorticoids) can impact biological aging processes such as DNA damage and cellular senescence, suggesting they play a key role in links between stress and aging; however, these associations have not been well investigated in humans. We examined cross-sectional associations between chronic stress exposures, stress hormones, and biological aging markers in midlife adults and whether stress hormones mediated associations between stress and aging. Participants were 531 adults aged 26-78 years (M

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Research summary

The paper investigates the relationship between chronic stress, stress hormones, and biological aging markers in humans, which is pertinent to understanding the mechanisms of aging and age-related diseases. However, the study's cross-sectional design and focus on associations rather than causal mechanisms limit its impact. While it contributes to the field by exploring the role of stress in biological aging, it does not provide groundbreaking insights or solutions to the root causes of aging.

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