The following is a summary of “Demographic characteristics and epigenetic biological aging among post-9/11 veterans: Associations of DunedinPACE with sex, race, and age,” published in the April 2024 issue of Psychiatry by Bourassa et al.
Measures of epigenetic aging through DNA methylation (DNAm) have broadened the understanding of biological aging across diverse populations.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study analyzing the rate of aging among demographic groups of U.S. military veterans.
They used the DunedinPACE method to measure epigenetic aging in 2,309 U.S. military veterans from the VISN 6 MIRECC’s Post-Deployment Mental Health Study. Researchers also analyzed the data using covariates to examine differences in the aging rate depending on gender, race, age, and genetic mix.
The result showed that female veterans are aging faster than males (ß=0.39, 95% CI [0.29-0.48], P<0.001), non-Hispanic Black veterans are aging faster than non-Hispanic White veterans (ß=0.58, 95% CI [0.50-0.66], P<0.001), and older veterans are aging faster than younger ones ( ß=0.21, 95% CI [0.18-0.25], P<0.001). Covariates did not explain these differences in aging rates. European genetic admixture in non-Hispanic Black veterans was not linked to DunedinPACE.
Investigators concluded that female and non-Hispanic Black veterans show accelerated aging post-9/11. Interventions targeting aging may offer more significant benefits to these at-risk groups.
Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165178124001938
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