Neighborhood environment, social cohesion, and epigenetic aging

• DOI: 10.18632/aging.202814
• Publication Date: 2021-03-14T13:20:21Z
• Authors: Chantel L. Martin; Cavin K. Ward-Cav...; Radhika Dhingra; Tarek M. Zikry; Sandro Galea; Derek E. Wildman; Karestan C. Koenen; Monica Uddin; Allison E Aiello
• Keywords: dNaM; Stressor; Cohesion (chemistry)

Living in adverse neighborhood environments has been linked to risk of aging-related diseases and mortality; however, the biological mechanisms explaining this observation remain poorly understood. DNA methylation (DNAm), a proposed mechanism biomarker aging responsive environmental stressors, offers promising insight into potential molecular pathways. We examined associations between three social environment measures (poverty, quality, cohesion) epigenetic clocks (Horvath, Hannum, PhenoAge) using data from Detroit Neighborhood Health Study (n=158). Using linear regression models, we evaluated total sample stratified by sex cohesion. quality was associated with accelerated DNAm for Horvath age acceleration (β = 1.8; 95% CI: 0.4, 3.1), Hannum 1.7; 3.0), PhenoAge 2.1; 3.8). In models on cohesion, poverty remained elevated residents living neighborhoods lower but were null those higher Our study suggests that can speed up aging, while positive attributes may buffer effects.