Are Depressive Symptoms Associated With Biological Aging in a Cross-Sectional Analysis of Adults Over Age 50 in the United States

• Published in: Psychology and aging 2024-12, Vol.39 (8), p.946-959
• Main Authors: Wang, Herong, Bakulski, Kelly M., Blostein, Freida, Porath, Brittany R., Dou, John, Tejera, César Higgins, Ryan, Lindsay H., Ware, Erin B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acceleration; Adjustment; Age; Age Differences; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; Aging - physiology; Aging - psychology; Alcohol use; Blood; Chronic illnesses; Cross-Sectional Studies; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Depression - epidemiology; Depressive personality disorders; DNA; DNA Methylation; Ethnicity; Female; Gender; Health Behavior; Health status; Human; Humans; Major Depression; Male; Mental depression; Middle Aged; Older people; Phenotypes; Physical activity; Physiological Aging; Psychological aspects; Race; Retirement; Smoking; Sociodemographics; Symptoms; United States - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0882-7974; 1939-1498; 1939-1498
• DOI: 10.1037/pag0000860

Major depressive disorder accelerates DNA methylation age, a biological aging marker. Subclinical depressive symptoms are common, but their link to DNA methylation aging in older adults remains unexplored. This study analyzed the cross-sectional relationship between depressive symptoms and accelerated DNA methylation aging, considering gender and race/ethnicity in U.S. adults aged over 50. We used data from 3,882 diverse participants in the 2016 Health and Retirement Study wave, measuring blood DNA methylation age against chronologic age for acceleration. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. Multiple linear regression evaluated the association between depressive symptoms and DNA methylation age acceleration, adjusting for sociodemographic factors, blood cell proportions, and health behaviors (physical activity, alcohol use, smoking, and chronic conditions). Gender and race/ethnicity modifications were also tested. Depressive symptoms, measured by continuous CES-D score, high depressive symptoms (CES-D ≥ 4), or any symptoms (CES-D ≥ 1), significantly correlated with increased GrimAge DNA methylation age acceleration (all p ≤ .001) in unadjusted and sociodemographic-adjusted models but were nonsignificant in fully adjusted models. No significant gender or race/ethnicity effect modifications were found in fully adjusted models. Health behaviors significantly influence DNA methylation age acceleration and depressive phenotypes, underscoring the need to understand their roles in assessing psychological factors related to DNA methylation age acceleration. Public Significance Statement This study suggests a correlation between depressive symptoms and accelerated biological aging in older adults that is potentially mediated by health behaviors. As this is a cross-sectional analysis, this correlation may be an indication of a directional relationship from depressive symptoms to accelerated biological aging, accelerated aging leading to depressive symptoms, or a potential third variable that is inducing this relationship. Future studies should assess directional and temporal relationships between depressive symptoms and accelerated biological aging and explore potential effect modification by gender and race/ethnicity, in the context of health behaviors.