COVID-19 Pandemic Stress Linked to Accelerated Epigenetic Aging in Adolescents
Research indicates that the stress experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly social isolation, accelerated biological aging at the DNA level in adolescents. A study led by postdoctoral researcher Alicia Schowe at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, in collaboration with four German universities, utilized epigenetic clocks to measure changes in DNA methylation. These clocks track age-related modifications in DNA that regulate gene activity. The study analyzed saliva DNA samples from over 1,000 participants in Germany, including children, adolescents, and adults, taken before and after COVID-19 lockdowns. While all age groups showed accelerated epigenetic aging, adolescents exhibited the strongest link between perceived pandemic stress, especially social isolation, and faster epigenetic aging. This suggests that adolescence may be a particularly sensitive period for the effects of stress, possibly due to developmental changes or the significant impact of lockdown measures on peer interaction...
