EDITORS’ CHOICE: Association of epigenetic age acceleration with MRI biomarkers of aging and Alzheimer’s disease neurodegeneration

Each month, we will highlight a paper published in Aging-US chosen as the “Editors’ Choice.” These selections are handpicked by our editors and accompanied by a brief summary, showcasing research with significant impact and novel insights in aging and age-related diseases.

In the research paper, titled “Association of epigenetic age acceleration with MRI biomarkers of aging and Alzheimer’s disease neurodegeneration,” researchers investigated whether epigenetic clocks of biological aging are associated with MRI markers of brain aging and Alzheimer’s disease-related neurodegeneration in 1,196 older women. While none of the five epigenetic clocks examined were linked to accelerated overall brain aging, one measure (AgeAccelGrim2) was associated with MRI patterns related to neurodegeneration.

The findings suggest this relationship was largely driven by DNA methylation markers linked to smoking history and changes in frontal and temporal brain regions rather than areas typically affected early in Alzheimer’s disease.

Overall, the study indicates that epigenetic aging and brain aging may reflect different aspects of the aging process, while highlighting the potential role of smoking-related biological aging in increasing dementia risk.

Click here to read the full research paper published in Aging-US.

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