By University of Connecticut – SciTech Daily
Older adults with depression experience accelerated biological aging, leading to poor physical and brain health, according to a study from the UConn Center on Aging. This discovery opens up opportunities for preventive strategies and targeted treatments to reduce disability and slow down aging in this population.
Researchers have found that older adults suffering from depression age faster than their peers.
Researchers at the University of Connecticut Center on Aging have found that older adults with depression age faster than their peers. This accelerated biological aging is associated with poor physical and brain health, though the severity of depression itself appears unrelated. Accelerated aging is linked to worse cardiovascular health, higher blood pressure, high cholesterol, multiple medical problems, and decreased cognitive performance. The study’s findings open up opportunities for preventive strategies to reduce disability associated with depression in older adults and slow down biological aging. Researchers are now exploring therapies to reduce senescent cells and personalized treatments based on specific patterns of aging-associated proteins.
