COVID-19-related stress linked to faster epigenetic aging in adolescents

The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions caused significant stress across societies, which may have biological consequences. A study led by researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich investigated the epigenetic effects of pandemic-related stress on adolescents. Epigenetic clocks measure age-related changes in DNA methylation, which can indicate a higher long-term risk of diseases such as cancer or type 2 diabetes.

Researchers compared data from over 1,000 participants in Germany, including children aged 8-10, adolescents aged 14-16, and adults aged 20-29. They collected saliva DNA samples before and after two lockdown periods. The study found that the pandemic accelerated epigenetic aging across all age groups, but the effect was most pronounced in adolescents.

This change was particularly associated with perceived pandemic burden and reduced peer contact, which had a strong impact on adolescents' mood. The lack of social interaction, due to lockdown measures, left epigenetic traces in adolescents' bodies.

Lead author Alicia Schowe suggests that adolescence may be a sensitive period to stress effects, possibly due to hormonal changes during puberty or the strong impact of lockdown measures on this age group. Poorer health outcomes before the pandemic and socio-economic background were linked to greater stress perception among all age groups, but objective measures like incidence rates or lockdown policies did not predict perceived stress.

The study highlights how societal crises can have measurable biological impacts and disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including adolescents. Long-term follow-up studies are needed to determine whether this epigenetic aging translates into increased illness risk for these populations in the future.