Topic: Genetics and APOE
Chronological age offers an imperfect estimate of the molecular changes that occur with aging. Epigenetic age, which is derived from DNA methylation data, provides a more nuanced representation of aging-related biological processes. This study examines the bidirectional relationship between epigenetic age and the occurrence of brain health events (stroke, dementia, and late-life depression). Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we analyzed blood samples from over 4,000 participants to determine how epigenetic age relates to past and future brain health events. Study participants with a prior brain health event prior to blood collection were 4% epigenetically older (beta 0.04, SE 0.01), suggesting that these conditions are associated with faster aging than that captured by chronological age. Furthermore, a one standard deviation increase in epigenetic age was associated with 70% higher odds of experiencing a brain health event in the next four years after blood collection (OR 1.70, 95%CI 1.16-2.50), indicating that epigenetic age is not just a consequence but also a predictor of poor brain health. Both results were replicated through Mendelian Randomization analyses, supporting their causal nature. Our findings support the utilization of epigenetic age as a useful biomarker to evaluate the role of interventions aimed at preventing and promoting recovery after a brain health event.
Key findings
- Study participants with a prior brain health event prior to blood collection were 4% epigenetically older (beta 0.04, SE 0.01), suggesting that these conditions are associated with faster aging than that captured by chronological age.
- Furthermore, a one standard deviation increase in epigenetic age was associated with 70% higher odds of experiencing a brain health event in the next four years after blood collection (OR 1.70, 95%CI 1.16-2.50), indicating that epigenetic age is not just a consequence but also a predictor of poor brain health.
- Both results were replicated through Mendelian Randomization analyses, supporting their causal nature.
- Our findings support the utilization of epigenetic age as a useful biomarker to evaluate the role of interventions aimed at preventing and promoting recovery after a brain health event.
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Study details
- Participants4,000
- Effect sizeOR 1.70
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 63/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record, multi-centre collaboration and free to read, so those were left out: it earned 35 of the 56 points we could judge it on, which is 63 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Nature communications) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2024 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 4,000 participants |
| Effect reported | 3 / 3 | Effect reported with a statistic (interval, p-value, ratio or similar) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 38978587) |
| Free to read | — / 2 | Access not recorded — left out of this score |
| Points | 35 / 56 | Scored on 10 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 35 of the 56 points we could judge it on is 63 out of 100. |
| Total | 63 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Rivier, C., Szejko, N., Renedo, D., Clocchiatti-Tuozzo, S., Huo, S., de Havenon, A., et al. (2024). Bidirectional relationship between epigenetic age and brain health events. Nature communications. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4378855/v1
Vancouver
Rivier C, Szejko N, Renedo D, Clocchiatti-Tuozzo S, Huo S, de Havenon A, et al. Bidirectional relationship between epigenetic age and brain health events. Nature communications. 2024. doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-4378855/v1. PMID: 38978587.
BibTeX
@article{rivier2024-38978587,
author = {Rivier, Cyprien and Szejko, Natalia and Renedo, Daniela and Clocchiatti-Tuozzo, Santiago and Huo, Shufan and de Havenon, Adam and Zhao, Hongyu and Gill, Thomas and others},
title = {{Bidirectional relationship between epigenetic age and brain health events}},
journal = {Nature communications},
year = {2024},
doi = {10.21203/rs.3.rs-4378855/v1},
pmid = {38978587},
url = {https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4378855/v1}
}