PTSD and Alcohol Use Disorders Predict the Pace of Cellular Aging

Sage E Hawn; Xiang Zhao; Mark W Miller; Sara Wallander; Christine Govan; Anjanette Stone; Steven A Schichman; Mark W Logue; Erika J Wolf

doi:10.1016/j.xjmad.2023.100026

PTSD and Alcohol Use Disorders Predict the Pace of Cellular Aging

J Mood Anxiety Disord. 2023 Oct:3:100026. doi: 10.1016/j.xjmad.2023.100026. Epub 2023 Sep 21.

Authors

Sage E Hawn^{1

2}, Xiang Zhao^{1

3}, Mark W Miller^{1

4}, Sara Wallander^{1

4}, Christine Govan⁵, Anjanette Stone⁶, Steven A Schichman⁶, Mark W Logue^{1

3

4

7}, Erika J Wolf^{1

4}

Affiliations

¹ National Center for PTSD at VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA.
² Old Dominion University, Department of Psychology, Norfolk, VA, USA.
³ Boston University School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics, Boston, MA, USA.
⁴ Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA.
⁵ MAVERIC Central Biorepository, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA.
⁶ Pharmacogenomics Analysis Laboratory, Research Service, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Little Rock, AR, USA.
⁷ Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Biomedical Genetics, Boston, MA, USA.

PMID: 37900051
PMCID: PMC10602583 (available on 2024-10-01)
DOI: 10.1016/j.xjmad.2023.100026

Abstract

Advanced epigenetic age is associated with psychopathology and may help to explain the link between psychopathology and physical health morbidity and mortality. Using a longitudinal sample of 171 trauma-exposed Veterans, we modeled the rate of change in epigenetic age across two time points (averaging 5.58 years apart) using two epigenetic age algorithms (GrimAge and Horvath) and tested associations with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcohol use disorder (AUD), and depression. Results showed that PTSD (β = .199) and AUD (β = .186) were associated with a quickened pace of epigenetic aging over time (ps < .021). Results replicate and extend prior work and offer foundational support for identifying interventions that slow the pace of biological aging among those with psychopathology.

Keywords: Epigenetic aging; GrimAge; Horvath; PTSD; alcohol disorders.

Abstract

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