# Stress, Epigenetics and Aging

> **NIH NIH R01** · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $669,188

## Abstract

Project Summary
There is extensive evidence that socioeconomic status (SES) and social stressors shape the development of
numerous chronic conditions and aging-related illnesses. However, the processes through which SES and
social stress affect biological processes related to aging and disease development have not been fully
elucidated, particularly at the cellular level. This is important to investigate among African Americans who have
higher mortality, shorter lifespan, and experience a disproportionate burden of disease than whites. Research
examining associations between stressors and biological aging processes have been predominately cross-
sectional in nature and have included predominately racially and ethnically homogenous samples. No prior
studies have assessed the independent and cumulative impact of SES and stress at multiple time points
across the life course in relation to biomarkers of aging (e.g. telomere length, DNA methylation age).
Furthermore, little is know as to whether behavioral and psychological factors mediate the association between
stress and biological aging processes, and whether forms of resilience (e.g., coping response, social support)
may modify these associations. We propose to leverage existing data from the Disparities (DISPAR) study to
examine the relationship between stressors and resilience across the life course in relation to biological aging
processes. The DISPAR study conducted a 50-year follow-up of women who participated in a pregnancy
cohort between 1959 and 1957 in Alameda County, California. Subsets of offspring were followed at ages 5 y,
9-11 y, 15-17y, and 50 years. The DISPAR sample includes a representative subsample (n=605) of these
children interviewed as adults (mean age of 50 years), 42% African-American and 50% female. Validated
measures of negative life events, discrimination, caregiving stress, mental health, social support, and coping
mechanisms among others were collected. In addition, anthropometric measures, blood pressure and a blood
sample were collected. For this study (N=372), we propose to assay existing stored blood collected at age 50
for biomarkers of biological aging (telomere length, methylation age). We will examine the role of childhood
and adult SES and psychosocial stressors (e.g. child adversity, caregiving stress, job stress, racial
discrimination) on telomere length and methylation age in adulthood. Additionally, we propose to examine
behavioral (e.g. physical activity, smoking) and psychological (e.g. distress) responses to stress as potential
mediators of these associations, and positive and negative coping factors as potential modifiers of the
associations between SES, stress and biological processes. Given that half of our sample is African-American,
we will have the opportunity to assess how stress, resilience-based factors, and associated biological aging
processes differ by race. Completion of this project would allow us to elucidate important biological, genet...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10114178
- **Project number:** 5R01AG058704-04
- **Recipient organization:** EMORY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Rachel C Shelton
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $669,188
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-07-01 → 2023-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10114178

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10114178, Stress, Epigenetics and Aging (5R01AG058704-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10114178. Licensed CC0.

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