ISLAMABAD, May 21 (ONLINE): A new study has found that people whose biological age is older than their actual chronological age face a significantly higher risk of developing dementia and may experience the disease earlier in life. The findings suggest that individuals with both accelerated biological aging and genetic risk factors could be up to 10 times more likely to develop dementia. Researchers believe that a blood-based “metabolomic aging clock” may help identify at-risk individuals before symptoms appear, allowing earlier prevention strategies and improved recruitment for dementia-related clinical trials.
Biological age measures how quickly a person’s cells are aging, independent of their calendar age, by analyzing various biomarkers that reflect overall health. Unlike chronological age, biological age can be younger or older depending on lifestyle and health conditions. Scientists have increasingly linked accelerated biological aging with a higher likelihood of disease development. The latest research, led by scientists at King’s College London and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, was published in Alzheimer’s Association journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
The study analyzed blood samples from more than 220,000 participants in the UK Biobank database using a metabolomic aging clock, which examines metabolites — small molecules produced during metabolism — found in blood plasma. Researchers calculated each participant’s biological age and compared it with their chronological age through a measurement known as “MileAge delta,” which indicates whether a person is aging faster or slower than expected.
During the study period, nearly 4,000 participants developed dementia. The analysis found that people whose biological age exceeded their chronological age by more than one standard deviation — around 16% of participants — had a 20% greater risk of developing dementia compared to those with younger biological ages. The association was even stronger for vascular dementia, where accelerated biological aging increased the likelihood of developing the disease by 60%.
Lead author Julian Mutz said the strong connection with vascular dementia was not surprising because the metabolites used in the study are closely linked to cardiovascular and metabolic health. He explained that the metabolomic clock is particularly sensitive to vascular risk factors, which are themselves closely associated with vascular dementia.
Researchers also examined the impact of genetic risk factors, particularly the APOE4 gene variant, which is known to significantly increase dementia risk. The study found that individuals with advanced biological aging who also carried two APOE4 variants were up to 10 times more likely to develop dementia than average participants. However, Mutz emphasized that while genetic risk cannot be changed, biological aging may be influenced through lifestyle changes and medical interventions.
The researchers stressed that dementia is not inevitable and that many cases could potentially be delayed or prevented by addressing modifiable risk factors such as cardiovascular health, smoking, diet, exercise and social isolation. They noted that reducing LDL cholesterol, increasing physical activity, quitting smoking and maintaining strong social connections may help slow biological aging and lower dementia risk.
The team believes that blood plasma-based aging clocks could eventually become practical tools for identifying people at higher risk of dementia during midlife. Such technology could also improve recruitment for clinical trials focused on dementia prevention and treatment. However, the researchers cautioned that further studies are still needed before metabolomic aging clocks can be introduced into routine clinical practice, noting that the current findings demonstrate an association rather than direct proof that accelerated biological aging causes dementia.
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