New research from King’s College London reveals that individuals with different mental disorders have increased biological markers of aging, indicating that they are physically aging at a faster rate than their peers. The study analyzed a large dataset of 110,780 patients from the UK Biobank and examined 168 blood metabolites that act as markers for age. The research validates previous studies linking mental illness to age-related diseases and shortened lifespans. Individuals with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and other conditions have a higher risk of developing diabetes and heart conditions, with the effect being more prominent in males. The study not only validates previous research but also aims to improve the management of mental illnesses by addressing underlying causes. Identifying the mechanism behind this aging could open up new treatment avenues for individuals with mental illness. The work not only provides a possible explanation for the higher prevalence of metabolic and age-related diseases in individuals with mental illness, but it may also help in the development of prevention and tailored treatments for these disorders.
People With Mental Illness Show Increased Biological Markers of Aging
New research from King’s College London indicates that individuals with various mental disorders have increased biological markers of aging. This implies that they are physically aging at a faster rate than their peers. The study also validates existing research that links mental illness to age-related diseases and shortened lifespans.
While severity varies by individual and the type of mental illness in question, individuals with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and other conditions show a higher risk of developing diabetes and heart conditions. According to a 2019 study, the effect is more prominent in males, who have a shorter lifespan of around 10 years, compared to seven years for females.
The King’s College London study analyzed a large dataset of 110,780 patients from the UK Biobank and examined 168 blood metabolites that act as markers for age. Researchers aimed to identify whether the correlation between a lifetime history of mental illness and a shorter lifespan had a biological basis or could be explained by other means, by comparing data on mental illness with patient data.
The results showed that individuals with a history of mental illness had biological metabolite profiles indicating that they were older than their actual age, which explains why they are more susceptible to age-related diseases and tend to have a shorter lifespan. The lead researcher, Dr. Julian Mutz, stated that the blood metabolites can predict people’s age, and on average, people with a lifetime history of mental illness had a metabolite profile that implied they were older than their chronological age. For example, individuals with bipolar disorder had blood markers indicating that they were around 2 years older than their actual age.
The study not only validates previous research but also aims to improve the management of mental illnesses by addressing underlying causes. Identifying the mechanism behind this aging could open up new treatment avenues for individuals with mental illness.
Dr. Sara Polett commented on the importance of the research, stating that it provides a possible explanation for the higher prevalence of metabolic and age-related diseases in individuals with mental illness. She also noted that understanding the mechanisms underlying accelerated biological aging could be crucial for developing prevention and tailored treatments for these disorders.
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