2024-08-04 04:00:09
Could the experience of losing a loved one accelerate biological aging? This intriguing and disturbing question is at the heart of a study conducted by Columbia University. A careful analysis of DNA markers reveals surprising results, especially when these losses occur early in life. vie.
The study used long-term data, showing that losing family members increases markers of aging in DNA, especially if those losses occur during childhood or young adulthood. The researchers drew on data from the National Longitudinal Survey of health from adolescents to adulthood, started in 1994.
The study’s results were particularly striking for participants who had lost a parent, partner, or sibling. These individuals showed signs of more advanced biological aging than those who had not suffered such losses. The researchers used “epigenetic clocks” to measure this aging, sophisticated tools developed by their colleagues at Duke University.
Family losses have varying consequences depending on age. Losing a loved one during childhood or adolescence is particularly damaging, increasing the risk of chronic diseases later in life. The study also found that losses experienced in adulthood between the ages of 33 and 43 are more common and also significant in terms of biological aging.
This study highlights the profound and lasting impact of family loss on biological health. The researchers call for increased efforts to provide supportive resources and coping strategies to grieving individuals, particularly during critical developmental periods such as childhood and young adulthood.
1722764340
#Grief #significantly #accelerates #aging #ages
