Is my brain aging faster if I have high proteomic age acceleration?
Proteomic age acceleration measures how quickly your biological markers age compared to your actual years lived. When this number is high, it signals faster biological aging. Studies indicate that this faster aging is connected to specific signs of brain damage caused by small vessel disease.
What the research says
A study using data from two large US groups found that higher proteomic age acceleration in midlife was associated with significantly greater volumes of white matter hyperintensities. These are bright spots on brain scans that indicate damage to the brain's wiring. The research showed a 25% increase in these volumes for every 5-year jump in biological age acceleration 4.
The same study also found that higher proteomic age acceleration was linked to a higher chance of having subcortical infarcts. These are small strokes that occur deep within the brain tissue. The odds of having these infarcts increased by 24% for each 5-year increase in biological age acceleration 4.
Other research connects these small vessel disease markers to broader health issues. For example, genetic studies show that markers for type 2 diabetes are causally linked to these same brain disease phenotypes 1. Additionally, conditions like Parkinson disease are associated with a higher burden of these small vessel disease markers compared to healthy individuals 3.
What to ask your doctor
- What is my current proteomic age acceleration score?
- How does my score compare to people my actual age?
- Which lifestyle changes might slow down my biological aging markers?
- What steps can I take to reduce my risk of white matter hyperintensities?
This question is drawn from common patient questions about Neurology and answered using cited medical research. We do not provide individualized advice.