The association of DNA methylation-based epigenetic age acceleration with facial expression recognition in older adults

IF 3.5 3区医学 Q2 GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY

Archives of gerontology and geriatrics Pub Date : 2025-02-27 DOI:10.1016/j.archger.2025.105808

Da-eun Lee , Yinan Zheng , Kyoung-Bok Min , Brian Joyce , Jun Wang , Tao Gao , Lifang Hou , Sang-Won Ha , Da-Eun Jeong , Min-Ju Kang , Jin-Young Min , Kyeezu Kim

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Facial expression recognition (FER) abilities play a crucial role in fostering beneficial social relationships for healthy aging, however, these abilities tend to decline as people age. We investigated the association between epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) and FER among older individuals.

Methods

Accuracy rates and response times for six emotions, anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise, were assessed in outpatients who visited the Veterans Health Service Medical Center. We calculated six EAA measures (intrinsic EAA, extrinsic EAA, PhenoAge acceleration, GrimaAge2 acceleration, skin and blood Age Acceleration, and Dunedin Pace of Aging Calculated from the Epigenome), based on DNA methylation levels across 935,000 CpGs. We employed multiple linear regression models adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic variables.

Results

In men, EAA was associated with a lower accuracy rate for fear (DunedinPACE: β= -7.53, 95 % CI= -12.12, -2.95) and a higher rate for sadness (Grim2AA: β= 5.44, 95 % CI= 0.37, 10.51). In women, EAA was associated with a lower accuracy rate for anger (SBAA: β= -5.06, 95 % CI= -9.43, -0.70) and a higher rate for happiness (EEAA: β= 4.79, 95 % CI= 0.85, 8.73). In men, EAA had an association with a faster response for fear (EEAA: β= -0.24, 95 % CI= -0.44, -0.05) and in women, for all emotions except sadness.

Conclusions

Greater EAA was associated with higher accuracy rates in recognizing happiness among women and sadness among men. Our findings suggest that biological aging may enhance recognition of positive emotions and empathy for others' sadness, rather than simply reducing FER abilities.

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来源期刊

Archives of gerontology and geriatrics 医学-老年医学

CiteScore

7.30

自引率

5.00%

发文量

198

审稿时长

16 days

期刊介绍： Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics provides a medium for the publication of papers from the fields of experimental gerontology and clinical and social geriatrics. The principal aim of the journal is to facilitate the exchange of information between specialists in these three fields of gerontological research. Experimental papers dealing with the basic mechanisms of aging at molecular, cellular, tissue or organ levels will be published. Clinical papers will be accepted if they provide sufficiently new information or are of fundamental importance for the knowledge of human aging. Purely descriptive clinical papers will be accepted only if the results permit further interpretation. Papers dealing with anti-aging pharmacological preparations in humans are welcome. Papers on the social aspects of geriatrics will be accepted if they are of general interest regarding the epidemiology of aging and the efficiency and working methods of the social organizations for the health care of the elderly.