Lifetime of social ties adds up to healthy aging at molecular level
9 hours ago
- #health
- #aging
- #social connections
- Lifetime social advantages, including parental warmth, friendships, community engagement, and religious support, slow biological aging.
- Higher cumulative social advantage is linked to slower epigenetic aging and lower chronic inflammation.
- Epigenetic clocks like GrimAge and DunedinPACE show younger biological age in individuals with strong social networks.
- Social connections impact core regulatory systems related to aging, including epigenetic, inflammatory, and neuroendocrine pathways.
- Cumulative social advantage is a multidimensional construct, reflecting compounded benefits over a lifetime.
- Disparities in social resources, influenced by race, class, and education, can accelerate biological aging in disadvantaged groups.
- The study supports the 'weathering hypothesis,' linking chronic adversity to earlier health deterioration.
- Consistent, long-term social connections are crucial for physiological health and slower aging.