The relationship of trait-like compassion with epigenetic aging

The population-based prospective Young Finns Study

Bibliographic Data

ID15519442
AuthorsHenrik Dobewall (0000-0003-3515-2138, University of Oulu, corresponding author), Liisa Keltikangas-Jarvinen (0000-0002-7977-3852, University of Helsinki), Saara Marttila (0000-0003-3071-3784, Tampere University), Pashupati P Mishra (0000-0001-5177-3431, Fimlab (Finland)), Aino Saarinen (0000-0003-4495-8360, University of Helsinki), C Robert Cloninger (0000-0003-3096-4807, Washington University in St. Louis), Igor Zwir (0000-0002-1443-0234, Washington University in St. Louis), Mika Kähönen (0000-0002-4510-7341, Tampere University Hospital), Mikko A Hurme (0000-0002-8614-1044, Tampere University), Mikko Hurme (0000-0001-9064-4413), Olli Raitakari (Turku University Hospital), Terho Lehtimäki (0000-0002-2555-4427, Fimlab (Finland)), Mirka Hintsanen (0000-0003-2673-0901, University of Oulu)
Year2023
Volume14
Pages1018797-1018797
Publication date2023-04-18
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1664-0640 • E-ISSN: 1664-0640
PublisherFrontiers Media (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1018797
PMID37143783
OpenAlexW4366293181
LanguageEN
References cited61

An association between higher compassion in 1997 and a less accelerated DNAmPhenoAge, which builds on previous work on phenotypic aging, approached statistical significance in a sex-adjusted model ( n = 1,030; b = -0.34; p = 0.050). Compassion in 1997 predicted less accelerated epigenetic aging over and above the control variables ( n = 843; b = -0.47; p = 0.016). There was no relationship between compassion in 2001 ( n = 1108/910) and any of the other four studied epigenetic aging indicators. High compassion for others might indeed influence whether an individual's biological age is lower than their chronological age. The conducted robustness checks partially support this conclusion, yet cannot rule out that there might be a broader prosocial trait behind the findings. The observed associations are interesting but should be interpreted as weak requiring replication

Biology · Environmental health · Epigenetics · Population · Trait · Clinical Psychology · Demography · Diet and metabolism studies · Dietary Effects on Health · Medicine · Psychology · Stress Responses and Cortisol · Genetics · Gerontology