Childhood adversity linked to accelerated biological aging in women. Research indicates that the impact of these early experiences varies depending on a person’s sex and racial or ethnic background and how social disadvantages experienced decades ago may leave lasting chemical marks on our DNA.
Childhood adversity linked to accelerated biological aging in women, new study finds
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>A new analysis suggests that specific patterns of childhood hardship are linked to faster biological aging in women later in life. The research indicates that the impact of these early experiences varies depending on a person’s sex and racial or ethnic background. Published in the [journal](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306453025004056?via%3Dihub) Psychoneuroendocrinology, the findings highlight how social disadvantages experienced decades ago may leave lasting chemical marks on our DNA.
>Scientists have established that difficult childhood events can harm long-term health. These events are often called adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs. They include physical abuse, parental divorce, and household instability.
>Researchers typically assess these hardships by counting them to create a cumulative score. A person who experienced divorce and poverty might get a score of two. However, this counting method has limitations.
>It assumes that all difficult experiences affect the body in the same way. It also ignores how different problems often happen at the same time. A simple score might miss specific combinations of stressors that are particularly damaging.
>A team of researchers led by Xiaoyan Zhang at New York University sought to correct this oversight. They used a statistical approach that looks for hidden patterns within data. This allowed them to group individuals based on the specific types of adversity they faced.
>The study utilized data from the Health and Retirement Study. This is a large, long-running survey that represents the population of older adults in the United States. The analysis focused on 3,586 participants who provided blood samples in 2016.
Interesting, but anecdotally, both of my grandmothers (from two different ethnic groups in the U.S.) survived rural poverty, WWI, WWII, and the great depression, and lived to their 90s. I don’t know that I would accept these results without understanding more about the dataset and what factors led to the 3k+ blood donors participating in the study.
well that’s really depressing. great
My ex developed Borderline PD from the way her parents treated her. She had a herniated disk at 19 years old, and as well as a rather bad immune system. These things probably are a lasting effect from her eating disorder at a young age.
All I can say is that I feel very sorry for her. As well as for all the other women that are treated bad in this world. We are far from being an equal place to women and men.
Thank God I’m a man. Trauma can’t age me a day. Right? ^^Right?
The study originally says that men age faster from adverse childhood experiences. The article even says that men age faster in all groups.
This is a misleading title and another example of slop posted on this sub.
There’s a lot packed into how they measured aging here. These epigenetic clocks are basically biological speedometers that change as our DNA methylation patterns shift over time. When your biological age outpaces your chronological age, it’s linked with higher disease risk and shorter healthspan.
Is it not also someone who experienced childhood trauma would be likely to have some sort of addiction/coping mechanism like smoking, drinking, drugs, which ultimately accelerates the biological aging
Stress ages people. Generational stress ages entire populations. Thanks, Mr. Obvious.