Key points from article :
Increased but reversible age acceleration in mice and people exposed to significant stress.
The second-generation epigenetic clocks PhenoAge and GrimAge, focused on mortality, were used to test humans.
Methylation of older people undergoing surgery at three-time points: immediately before, the morning after, and four to seven days later before discharge from the hospital, was tested.
Biological aging increased in all the patients and decreased after surgery, according to all three human clocks.
Two major, well-known sources of stress: COVID-19 infection and pregnancy, were also tested.
The effects of three well-known interventions: hydroxychloroquine, remdesivir, and tocilizumab were analysed.
These clocks report biological changes that constitute real epigenetic aging, which has downstream biological consequences.
Keeping short-term fluctuations in epigenetic aging lower can slow or perhaps reverse multiple other aspects of aging.
A preprint was published in bioRxiv.
