PTSD is linked to accelerated DNA methylation aging
In a preprint analyzing epigenome-wide data from thousands of U.S. veterans, posttraumatic stress disorder was significantly associated with accelerated DNA methylation aging.
medRxiv
In a preprint study of U.S. veterans from the Million Veteran Program, researchers conducted epigenome-wide association studies across European, African, and admixed American ancestries. The team analyzed 22,141 participants assessed with the PTSD Checklist and examined lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder diagnoses in 9,413 cases and 27,257 controls defined using electronic health records. The analysis identified 241 epigenome-wide-significant CpG sites across all evaluated PTSD traits and replicated five of 11 sites from a prior study. Regression models showed that PTSD case status was significantly associated with accelerated DNA methylation aging. Furthermore, ten identified genes overlapped with findings from postmortem brain tissue of individuals with PTSD. Stratification suggested that a previously reported link between PTSD and AHRR gene methylation may be confounded by smoking status.
Why it matters
The findings support observations that psychiatric stress phenotypes correlate with altered epigenetic marks in peripheral blood. This reinforces interest in measuring DNA methylation clocks to track how severe psychological trauma may intersect with biological aging processes.
Caveats
The investigation relied on observational data, self-reported symptom questionnaires, and health record algorithms to define PTSD, leaving potential for residual confounding. Additionally, the work is a preprint and has not yet completed peer review.
The paper
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Epigenome-Wide Association Studies in the Million Veteran Program
Show 12 more authors
Cassie Overstreet, Jiarui Chen, Priya Gupta, Cecilia Dao, Bluma J. Lesch, Janitza L. Montalvo‐Ortiz, the VA Million Veteran Program, J. Michael Gaziano, John Harrison Krystal, Renato A Polimanti, Matthew J. Girgenti, Murray B. Stein,Yale University
medRxiv · 8 Sep 2026 · Preprint, not peer-reviewed
