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Post-traumatic stress disorder moderates the association between BrainAge acceleration and GrimAge acceleration
Jenna Beakas1, Alexandra K Dwulit2, Ahmed Hussain1
1Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Veteran Affairs Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
Neurobiology of Aging
|June 3, 2026
Summary
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) alters the link between biological aging and brain aging. Individuals with PTSD show a weaker association between epigenetic aging and brain age acceleration.
Area of Science:
- Epigenetics
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
Background:
- Individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) face increased risks for age-related physical conditions and accelerated aging.
- Biological aging, assessed via epigenetic clocks and brain imaging, is a key factor in health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if PTSD influences the relationship between systemic epigenetic aging and brain aging.
- To analyze how DNA methylation-based aging (GrimAge, PhenoAge) and brain imaging correlate with brain age acceleration in individuals with and without PTSD.
Main Methods:
- Utilized DNA methylation data (MethylationEPIC BeadChip) to calculate epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) using GrimAge and PhenoAge clocks.
- Calculated brain age acceleration using MRI-derived and DNA methylation-derived estimates.
- Conducted a meta-analysis across four cohorts (174 PTSD cases, 138 controls) to examine PTSD's moderating effect on EAA and brain age acceleration.
Main Results:
- Epigenetic aging measures were correlated, but MRI-based brain age acceleration did not correlate with epigenetic age acceleration.
- PTSD significantly moderated the association between GrimAge acceleration and both DNA methylation- and MRI-based brain age acceleration.
- The positive link between GrimAge acceleration and brain age acceleration was weaker or absent in PTSD cases compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- PTSD can attenuate the association between systemic epigenetic aging and brain aging.
- Trauma-exposed individuals may require personalized interventions incorporating multi-modal biological aging markers to manage health.
- Further research into PTSD's impact on aging trajectories is warranted.
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