Revista Espanola de Geriatria y Gerontologia · Sep 25, 2021
The presence of a psychiatric diagnosis could alter the epigenetic clock in monozygotic twins
By Martínez-Magaña JJ, Genis-Mendoza AD, Santana D et al.
BACKGROUND: The acceleration of the epigenetic clock has been associated with a reduction in life expectancy. Individuals diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder have a reduction in life expectancy, and some studies have correlated it with accelerated aging. OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to explore whether the presence of any psychiatric disorder could accelerate the epigenetic clock in monozygotic twins. METHODS: A total of 15 pairs of monozygotic twins were included. Epigenetic age in peripheral blood cells was estimated by previously published algorithms, using the 450K Beadchip microarray. RESULTS: We found that in twins with a diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder, the epigenetic clock could increase compared to their twin without a psychiatric disorder. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The presence of some psychiatric disorder could accelerate the epigenetic clock in homozygous twins, but studies with larger samples are required to clarify this relationship.