Major Lifetime Discrimination Exposure Accelerates Brain Microstructural Aging: Diffusion MRI Evidence From MIDUS.

Ajay Kumar Nair, Nagesh Adluru, Anna J Finley, Lauren K Gresham, Sarah E Skinner, Steven R Kecskemeti, Andrew L Alexander, Richard J Davidson, David R Williams, Carol D Ryff, Stacey M Schaefer

Not available · pubmed

Paper

Abstract

Experiencing discrimination is associated with faster biological aging, as reflected in telomere shortening and DNA methylation. However, the impact of discrimination on brain aging processes remains unclear. Here, we tested whether individuals who reported at least one major lifetime discrimination event would exhibit steeper age-related associations in microstructural metrics within whole-brain white matter and the hippocampus, consistent with accelerated brain microstructural aging, compared with those with no such experiences.

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Research summary

Individuals who report major lifetime discrimination events exhibit accelerated brain microstructural aging compared to those without such experiences. This study addresses the impact of social determinants on biological aging processes, which is relevant to understanding the root causes of aging and its implications for longevity.

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