Epigenetic clocks association with brain aging patterns in older women

This longitudinal study examined the associations between five different epigenetic clocks measured at baseline and two brain aging measures derived from structural MRI scans obtained approximately 8 years later. The study focused on 1,196 older women and investigated whether epigenetic age acceleration is associated with brain structural changes indicative of aging and Alzheimer's disease pathology. The epigenetic clocks included various measures of biological age acceleration based on DNA methylation patterns. The brain aging measures included the Spatial Pattern of Atrophy for Recognition of Brain Aging (SPARE-BA), which captures general brain aging patterns, and the Alzheimer's Disease Pattern Similarity Score (AD-PS), which reflects structural changes characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. Linear regression models were used to assess associations while controlling for relevant demographic and health-related covariates. The study found no significant associations between any epigenetic clock and SPARE-BA, but identified a significant positive association between AgeAccelGrim2 and AD-PS.

This longitudinal study examined the associations between five different epigenetic clocks measured at baseline and two brain aging measures derived from structural MRI scans obtained approximately 8 years later. The study focused on 1,196 older women and investigated whether epigenetic age acceleration is associated with brain structural changes indicative of aging and Alzheimer's disease pathology. The epigenetic clocks included various measures of biological age acceleration based on DNA methylation patterns. The brain aging measures included the Spatial Pattern of Atrophy for Recognition of Brain Aging (SPARE-BA), which captures general brain aging patterns, and the Alzheimer's Disease Pattern Similarity Score (AD-PS), which reflects structural changes characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. Linear regression models were used to assess associations while controlling for relevant demographic and health-related covariates. The study found no significant associations between any epigenetic clock and SPARE-BA, but identified a significant positive association between AgeAccelGrim2 and AD-PS. Further analysis revealed this association was primarily driven by DNA methylation markers of smoking pack years and their relationship with frontal and temporal lobe volumes, rather than hippocampal or entorhinal cortex volumes typically associated with early Alzheimer's disease.