Epigenetic Clocks of Biological Aging and Risk of Incident Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia: The Women's Health Initiative Memory Study - PubMed
4 hours ago
- #dementia risk
- #biological aging
- #epigenetic clocks
- The study examines the association between accelerated biological aging, measured by epigenetic clocks, and the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia in older women.
- A cohort of 6,069 cognitively unimpaired women (mean age 70) from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study was analyzed over a median follow-up of 9.3 years.
- Accelerated biological aging, as measured by AgeAccelGrim2 and DunedinPACE, was associated with a higher risk of incident MCI or probable dementia, independent of chronological age.
- AgeAccelGrim2 remained significant under Bonferroni correction, suggesting a robust link between this epigenetic clock and cognitive decline.
- No significant associations were found for other epigenetic clocks (AgeAccelPheno, AgeAccelHorvath, AgeAccelHannum) with MCI or dementia risk.
- The study found no significant effect modification by age, race/ethnicity, hormone therapy, menopause type, or APOE ε4 carriage.
- These findings highlight the potential of epigenetic biomarkers in predicting cognitive decline and dementia risk.