A recent study conducted by researchers from McMaster University has revealed a correlation between residing in economically and socially disadvantaged urban neighborhoods, experiencing depression, and accelerated aging. The study, published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, demonstrated that individuals living in urban areas with significant disparities in resources and social opportunities, as well as those exhibiting depressive symptoms, experience early biological aging. This relationship persists even after considering personal health factors and behaviors such as chronic illnesses and detrimental health habits.
Led by Parminder Raina, a professor in the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact at McMaster University, the research team included investigators from the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland. The study utilized DNA methylation-based estimators, known as epigenetic clocks, to assess cellular aging and estimate the difference between chronological age and biological age. The researchers used the DNAm GrimAge clock to examine epigenetic aging and found that both neighborhood deprivation and depressive symptoms were positively associated with accelerated epigenetic aging.
Divya Joshi, the study’s first author and a research associate in the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact at McMaster, explained that their findings contribute to the growing body of evidence linking living in urban areas with higher levels of neighborhood deprivation and experiencing depressive symptoms to premature biological aging. The study measured depressive symptoms using a standardized depression scale consisting of ten items. The researchers also discovered that for every increase in the depressive symptom score, there was a one-month acceleration in the risk of death. They hypothesized that the emotional distress caused by depression may contribute to increased biological wear and tear and dysregulation of physiological systems, ultimately leading to premature aging.
This study sheds light on the relationship between socioeconomic factors, mental health, and biological aging. Understanding these connections can help inform interventions and policies aimed at improving the well-being and health outcomes of individuals living in disadvantaged urban neighborhoods and experiencing depression.