Authors: Kyle J. Bourassa; Melanie E. Garrett; Avshalom Caspi; Michelle Dennis; Katherine S. Hall; Terrie E. Moffitt; Gregory A. Taylor; VA Mid Atlantic MIRECC Workgroup; Allison E. Ashley-Koch; Jean C. Beckham; Nathan A. Kimbrel · Research
How Do PTSD and Trauma Affect Biological Aging?
Research reveals that PTSD and trauma exposure can speed up biological aging, but recovery from PTSD may help slow this process.
Source: Bourassa, K. J., Garrett, M. E., Caspi, A., Dennis, M., Hall, K. S., Moffitt, T. E., Taylor, G. A., VA Mid Atlantic MIRECC Workgroup, Ashley-Koch, A. E., Beckham, J. C., & Kimbrel, N. A. (2024). Posttraumatic stress disorder, trauma, and accelerated biological aging among post-9/11 veterans. Translational Psychiatry, 14(4). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-023-02704-y
What you need to know
- People with current PTSD show signs of faster biological aging compared to those without PTSD
- More severe PTSD symptoms and higher trauma exposure are linked to accelerated aging
- Those who recovered from PTSD showed biological aging rates similar to people who never had PTSD, suggesting potential reversibility
The Link Between Trauma, Stress, and Aging
Have you ever noticed how some people seem to age faster during particularly stressful periods in their lives? This observation isn’t just anecdotal - scientific research is now showing that psychological stress, particularly trauma and PTSD, can actually speed up the biological aging process in our bodies.
Understanding Biological Aging
When we think about age, we usually think about the number of years we’ve been alive. But there’s another type of age that scientists can measure - biological age. This measures how quickly your body’s systems are aging at the cellular level, which can be faster or slower than your chronological age. Scientists can now measure this through specific patterns in our DNA called epigenetic markers.
The Research Findings
In a study of over 2,300 post-9/11 military veterans, researchers found that those with current PTSD were biologically aging faster than those without PTSD. To put this in perspective, veterans with PTSD were aging about 0.4 months extra for every year that passed compared to veterans without PTSD. The more PTSD symptoms someone reported, the faster their biological aging rate.
A Ray of Hope
One of the most encouraging findings was that veterans who had recovered from PTSD showed biological aging rates more similar to those who never had PTSD than to those with current PTSD. This suggests that the accelerated aging associated with PTSD might be reversible with effective treatment.
What This Means for You
If you or someone you know is dealing with PTSD or trauma:
- Don’t delay seeking treatment - the sooner PTSD is addressed, the better chance of preventing accelerated aging
- Know that recovery may help reverse some of the biological effects of trauma
- Focus on overall health behaviors that can help slow biological aging, like regular exercise, good sleep habits, and stress management
- Consider that PTSD treatment could have benefits beyond mental health, potentially affecting your physical aging process
Conclusions
- PTSD and trauma can speed up biological aging, potentially leading to earlier health problems
- The more severe the PTSD symptoms or trauma exposure, the faster the biological aging
- Recovery from PTSD may help normalize biological aging rates, highlighting the importance of seeking treatment