Work-related stress and burnout: Is epigenetic aging the missing link?

Julian Eder, Friederike Sophie David, Sabrina Illius, Nicole Rothe, Magdalena Katharina Wekenborg, Andreas Walther, Marlene Penz, Juulia Jylhävä, Robert Miller, Clemens Kirschbaum, Nina Alexander

Chair of Biopsychology, Faculty of Psychology, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany. [email protected]. · pubmed

Paper

Abstract

Work-related stress is a well-established contributor to mental health decline, particularly in the context of burnout, a state of prolonged exhaustion. Epigenetic clocks, which estimate biological age based on DNA methylation (DNAm) patterns, have been proposed as potential biomarkers of chronic stress and its impact on biological aging and health. However, their role in mediating the relationship between work-related stress, physiological stress markers, and burnout remains unclear.

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Research summary

The paper claims that epigenetic aging may mediate the relationship between work-related stress and burnout. This research is relevant as it explores the biological mechanisms linking chronic stress to aging, potentially addressing root causes of age-related decline.

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