Blood cell aging linked to mood symptoms of depression ^{CEFR B2}

Researchers report that a blood-based marker of biological aging is associated with certain depressive symptoms but not others. They tested two epigenetic clocks: a multi-tissue clock that draws on many cell and tissue types, and a clock focused on monocytes, a white blood cell involved in immune responses. Monocytes are relevant to HIV and have been observed at higher levels in people with depression.

The study analysed data from 440 women in the Women’s Interagency HIV Study, of whom 261 had HIV and 179 did not. Depression symptoms were measured with the CES-D, a 20-item scale that distinguishes somatic symptoms (such as fatigue and poor appetite) from non-somatic mood and cognitive symptoms (such as anhedonia, hopelessness, and feelings of failure).

Results showed that accelerated aging measured in monocytes correlated with non-somatic depressive symptoms across women with and without HIV, while the multi-cell/tissue epigenetic clock did not show these links. Nicole Beaulieu Perez of New York University noted that depression can present very differently in each person and that detecting mood and cognitive symptoms is especially important in people with chronic illness. The authors say more research is required before epigenetic aging can inform diagnosis or treatment; in the long term such biomarkers might allow earlier diagnosis and more tailored care. Additional authors were from a range of US universities and medical centres, and the work was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Source: New York University.