Low sensory responsiveness is associated with accelerated aging in midlife

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Human Biology
• Sensory Perception

Background:

• The aging process is complex, involving biological changes that can be assessed through biomarkers.
• Sensory responsiveness, the ability to perceive and react to stimuli, may change with age.
• Understanding factors associated with biological age is crucial for identifying aging markers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between sensory responsiveness levels and biological age in midlife adults.
• To determine if sensory responsiveness can serve as an indicator of biological aging.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study of 96 midlife adults (aged ~45.6) from the Jerusalem Perinatal Study.
• Biological age estimation using the Klemera-Doubal method with physiological and blood biomarkers.
• Assessment of sensory responsiveness, social engagement, and physical capacity (muscle strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, gait).

Main Results:

• Low sensory responsiveness was significantly associated with older biological age (adjusted R²=0.25, p<0.01).
• This association remained significant after controlling for age, sex, social engagement, education, and physical capacity.
• High sensory responsiveness did not show a significant correlation with biological age.

Conclusions:

• Sensory responsiveness, particularly low responsiveness, may be a potential marker for biological age in midlife.
• These findings contribute to understanding the biological mechanisms of aging and age-related diseases.
• Considering sensory responsiveness could aid in identifying early signs of aging.