Negative Life Events and Epigenetic Ageing: A Study in the Netherlands Twin Register.
Abstract
We aimed to understand the long-term impact of negative life events on epigenetic aging in 1783 adults from the Netherlands Twin Register, analyzing five epigenetic biomarkers (Hannum, Horvath, PhenoAge, GrimAge, DunedinPACE) and a series of negative life events, including victimization and economic hardship. In population-level analyses, associations between a higher number of negative life events (particularly financial adversities, sexual crimes, and job loss) were seen for the GrimAge biomarker. The association between the number of negative life events and financial problems and epigenetic age acceleration measured by the GrimAge biomarker persisted after adjusting for BMI, smoking, and white blood cell counts. In monozygotic twin pairs discordant for negative life events (263 pairs) the associations were diminished, indicating that the population associations may be confounded by shared familial (genetic and environmental) factors. These findings underscore the intricate link between environmental stressors and biological aging, stressing the need for comprehensive studies considering both genetic and environmental influences.
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Research summary
The paper investigates the relationship between negative life events and epigenetic aging, which is pertinent to understanding the biological mechanisms of aging. However, while it provides insights into how environmental stressors may influence epigenetic biomarkers, the findings are largely correlational and do not address the root causes of aging or propose interventions for lifespan extension. Thus, while it contributes to the field, its impact is limited.
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