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Epigenetic aging in psychiatry: clinical implications and therapeutic opportunities

Neuropsychopharmacology volume 48, pages 247–248 (2023)Cite this article

Subjects

Patterns of accelerated aging have been reported in severe psychiatric disorders and are hypothesized to underlie many poor health outcomes, including higher rates of chronic medical conditions, a steeper age-related decline in functioning and cognitive abilities, increased morbidity, and premature mortality. Nevertheless, features of accelerated aging are not found in all patients, with substantial heterogeneity even within the same clinical diagnosis. Therefore, exploring its biological mechanisms and clinical implications and identifying subgroups of patients presenting with accelerated aging may allow for focused strategies aimed at counteracting these mechanisms and ultimately prevent complications.

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Funding

GRF is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH, MH121580), the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP, YIG-0-066-20), and the Baszucki Brain Research Fund.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Translational Psychiatry Program, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA

    Camila N. C. Lima & Gabriel R. Fries

  2. Neuroscience Graduate Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA

    Gabriel R. Fries

  3. Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA

    Gabriel R. Fries

Authors
  1. Camila N. C. Lima
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  2. Gabriel R. Fries
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Contributions

CNCL contributed to the design, conceptualization, and writing of the first draft of the manuscript. GRF contributed to the design, conceptualization, and writing/editing of the final draft of the manuscript. Both authors approved the final version and the submission.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gabriel R. Fries.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Lima, C.N.C., Fries, G.R. Epigenetic aging in psychiatry: clinical implications and therapeutic opportunities. Neuropsychopharmacol. 48, 247–248 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-022-01390-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-022-01390-6

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