Subscribe
The latest psychology and neuroscience discoveries.
My Account
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Psychopharmacology
No Result
View All Result
PsyPost
PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
Home Exclusive Cognitive Science

Childhood intelligence score might predict how fast you age, new genetics research suggests

by Katarina Skelin
April 17, 2020
in Cognitive Science
Photo credit: DigitalGenetics/Fotolia

Photo credit: DigitalGenetics/Fotolia

[Subscribe to PsyPost on YouTube to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in psychology and neuroscience]

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

What causes some individuals to age more successfully than others is a question behind the efforts in ageing research. A study published in Translational Psychiatry aimed to identify traits and lifestyle factors associated with different ageing trajectories.

Each year our birthday marks a turn on the chronological clock, but is the condition of our organism true to the age on the birthday cake? Epigenetic age is explained as the physiological age of an organism which can differ from chronological age. A way to measure epigenetic ageing is with epigenetic clocks, which at first used mostly chronological age as a reference to calculate epigenetic age, but lately have been incorporating phenotypes like blood cell profiles and inflammatory markers. One of the newer types of clocks, called DNAm PhenoAge is aimed to capture a more precise biomarker that can differentiate morbidity and mortality among individuals of the same chronological age.

It has been acknowledged that childhood traits and circumstances like lower intelligence or childhood deprivation can have a negative impact on health and morbidity later in life. This led researchers to hypothesize that these factors can also impact an individual’s epigenetic age which would show in their PhenoAge results.

To investigate this, researchers used The Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 which is a longitudinal study of ageing, valuable as it contains information on general cognitive ability and social circumstances of its participants at the age of 11. A total of 1091 participants of the original study was recruited at the mean age of 70 years. They were examined on physical and health status, cognitive abilities, genetics, lifestyle factors and psycho-social aspects of ageing. Participants were re-examined at the ages of 73, 76 and 79.

An association study was done with the collected data; participants’ genetic variants were observed to see if they are associated with any traits. Results showed that accelerated epigenetic age, physiological age of the organism, was related to lower IQ scores at 11 as well as lower levels of physical activity later in life, but significant correlations were found also between accelerated epigenetic PhenoAge and a number of physical, cognitive and lifestyle traits. Cognitive ability at age 11 and the number of years of education was a trait that stood out.

“The association between DNAm PhenoAgeAccel with IQ measured almost 60 years previously is a key finding and is indicative of a lifelong, enduring association between cognition and epigenetic ageing”, authors of the study noted. This supports previous findings indicating that general intelligence in childhood is associated with considerable life-course differences in health and morbidity. A possible explanation for this association could be in better health literacy and consequential disease management as well as higher socioeconomic standing.

As with much correlation-based research, there is a question of which came first, the chicken or the egg. It is both possible that individual differences in epigenetic age are caused by intelligence differences, or that both the intelligence and a more favourable epigenetic age score are the result of a shared genetic architecture or early environmental event. Nevertheless, authors conclude that “this novel epigenetic clock may be somewhat qualified in its capacity as a biomarker of physiological ageing.’’

The study, “Childhood intelligence attenuates the association between biological ageing and health outcomes in later life”, was authored by Anna J. Stevenson, Daniel L. McCartney, Robert F. Hillary, Paul Redmond, Adele M. Taylor, Qian Zhang, Allan F. McRae, Tara L. Spires-Jones, Andrew M. McIntosh, Ian J. Deary, and Riccardo E. Marioni.

ShareTweetSendScanShareSharePin1Send

NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP

STAY CONNECTED

TRENDING

One in four people may experience estrangement from a sibling in adulthood, study finds

Buzzing the brain with electricity can boost the willingness to engage in mental effort

Study links deviations in circadian rhythm patterns to psychiatric problems in adolescents

Study finds that poor sleep quality increases aggression, possibly by affecting emotional cognition

Virtual reality can inoculate people against the allure of alternative romantic partners, study finds

A history of intermittent fasting is associated with increased disordered eating behaviors

RECENT

Many self-identified heterosexuals report feeling attracted toward individuals of the same sex, study finds

Two “dark” personality traits help explain the link between childhood adversity and suicide risk

People are more inclined to get COVID-19 booster after reading tweets that target regret, study finds

Study links deviations in circadian rhythm patterns to psychiatric problems in adolescents

False confidence: Watching a simple video increases people’s belief in their own ability to land a plane

A history of intermittent fasting is associated with increased disordered eating behaviors

Psychologists developed a new measure of sexual anxiety sensitivity. It predicts some important sex-related outcomes.

Virtual reality can inoculate people against the allure of alternative romantic partners, study finds

Currently Playing

Individuals with dark personality traits are less oriented towards long-term mating strategies

Disclosing victim status reduces online dating matches regardless of race or sex

Individuals with dark personality traits are less oriented towards long-term mating strategies

Dark Triad
Longitudinal study examines the effects of adversity on wise reasoning

New study examines the psychological mechanisms underlying Solomon’s paradox

Social Psychology
Engaging in religious practice, even if you don’t believe, may increase your capacity to delay gratification

Engaging in religious practice, even if you don’t believe, may increase your capacity to delay gratification

Cognitive Science
New study sheds light on how three distinct types of first impressions predict subsequent dating outcomes

New study sheds light on how three distinct types of first impressions predict subsequent dating outcomes

Relationships and Sexual Health
A single, moderate dose of psilocybin reduces depressive symptoms for at least two weeks, controlled study finds

A single, moderate dose of psilocybin reduces depressive symptoms for at least two weeks, controlled study finds

Depression
Study identifies factors that influence the link between men’s body esteem and their ability to enjoy their sexuality

Study identifies factors that influence the link between men’s body esteem and their ability to enjoy their sexuality

Mental Health
  • Cognitive Science
  • COVID-19
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Drug Research
  • Conspiracy Theories
  • Meditation
  • Psychology of Religion
  • Aviation Psychology and Human Factors
  • Relationships and Sexual Health
  • Evolutionary Psychology
  • Neuroimaging
  • Psychedelic Drugs
  • Dark Triad
  • Political Psychology

About

PsyPost is a psychology and neuroscience news website dedicated to reporting the latest research on human behavior, cognition, and society. (READ MORE...)

  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy

Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Cognitive Science Research
  • Mental Health Research
  • Social Psychology Research
  • About PsyPost
    • Contact us
  • Privacy policy

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used.