@article {13513, title = {Cross-National and Cross-Generational Evidence That Educational Attainment May Slow the Pace of Aging in European-Descent Individuals.}, journal = {The Journal of Gerontology, Series B }, volume = {78}, year = {2023}, pages = {1375-1385}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: Individuals with more education are at lower risk of developing multiple, different age-related diseases than their less-educated peers. A reason for this might be that individuals with more education age slower. There are 2 complications in testing this hypothesis. First, there exists no definitive measure of biological aging. Second, shared genetic factors contribute toward both lower educational attainment and the development of age-related diseases. Here, we tested whether the protective effect of educational attainment was associated with the pace of aging after accounting for genetic factors.

METHODS: We examined data from 5 studies together totaling almost 17,000 individuals with European ancestry born in different countries during different historical periods, ranging in age from 16 to 98 years old. To assess the pace of aging, we used DunedinPACE, a DNA methylation algorithm that reflects an individual{\textquoteright}s rate of aging and predicts age-related decline and Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s disease and related disorders. To assess genetic factors related to education, we created a polygenic score based on the results of a genome-wide association study of educational attainment.

RESULTS: Across the 5 studies, and across the life span, higher educational attainment was associated with a slower pace of aging even after accounting for genetic factors (meta-analysis effect size = -0.20; 95\% confidence interval [CI]: -0.30 to -0.10; p = .006). Further, this effect persisted after taking into account tobacco smoking (meta-analysis effect size = -0.13; 95\% CI: -0.21 to -0.05; p = .01).

DISCUSSION: These results indicate that higher levels of education have positive effects on the pace of aging, and that the benefits can be realized irrespective of individuals{\textquoteright} genetics.

}, keywords = {Academic Success, Educational Status, Genome-Wide Association Study}, issn = {1758-5368}, doi = {10.1093/geronb/gbad056}, author = {Sugden, Karen and Moffitt, Terrie E and Arpawong, Thalida Em and Arseneault, Louise and Belsky, Daniel W and Corcoran, David L and Crimmins, Eileen M and Hannon, Eilis and Houts, Renate and Mill, Jonathan S and Poulton, Richie and Ramrakha, Sandhya and Wertz, Jasmin and Williams, Benjamin S and Caspi, Avshalom} } @article {13414, title = {Genetic associations with parental investment from conception to wealth inheritance in six cohorts.}, journal = {Nat Hum Behav}, year = {2023}, abstract = {

Genetic inheritance is not the only way parents{\textquoteright} genes may affect children. It is also possible that parents{\textquoteright} genes are associated with investments into children{\textquoteright}s development. We examined evidence for links between parental genetics and parental investments, from the prenatal period through to adulthood, using data from six population-based cohorts in the UK, US and New Zealand, together totalling 36,566 parents. Our findings revealed associations between parental genetics-summarized in a genome-wide polygenic score-and parental behaviour across development, from smoking in pregnancy, breastfeeding in infancy, parenting in childhood and adolescence, to leaving a wealth inheritance to adult children. Effect sizes tended to be small at any given time point, ranging from RR = 1.12 (95\% confidence interval (95\%CI) 1.09, 1.15) to RR = 0.76 (95\%CI 0.72, 0.80) during the prenatal period and infancy; β = 0.07 (95\%CI 0.04, 0.11) to β = 0.29 (95\%CI 0.27, 0.32) in childhood and adolescence, and RR = 1.04 (95\%CI 1.01, 1.06) to RR = 1.11 (95\%CI 1.07, 1.15) in adulthood. There was evidence for accumulating effects across development, ranging from β = 0.15 (95\%CI 0.11, 0.18) to β = 0.23 (95\%CI 0.16, 0.29) depending on cohort. Our findings are consistent with the interpretation that parents pass on advantages to offspring not only via direct genetic transmission or purely environmental paths, but also via genetic associations with parental investment from conception to wealth inheritance.

}, keywords = {genetic associations, parental investment, wealth inheritance}, issn = {2397-3374}, doi = {10.1038/s41562-023-01618-5}, author = {Wertz, Jasmin and Moffitt, Terrie E and Arseneault, Louise and Barnes, J C and Boivin, Michel and Corcoran, David L and Danese, Andrea and Hancox, Robert J and Harrington, HonaLee and Houts, Renate M and Langevin, Stephanie and Liu, Hexuan and Poulton, Richie and Sugden, Karen and Tanksley, Peter T and Williams, Benjamin S and Caspi, Avshalom} } @article {8603, title = {Genetics in population health science: strategies and opportunities.}, journal = {Am J Public Health}, volume = {103 Suppl 1}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Oct}, pages = {S73-83}, abstract = {

Translational research is needed to leverage discoveries from the frontiers of genome science to improve public health. So far, public health researchers have largely ignored genetic discoveries, and geneticists have ignored important aspects of population health science. This mutual neglect should end. In this article, we discuss 3 areas where public health researchers can help to advance translation: (1) risk assessment: investigate genetic profiles as components in composite risk assessments; (2) targeted intervention: conduct life-course longitudinal studies to understand when genetic risks manifest in development and whether intervention during sensitive periods can have lasting effects; and (3) improved understanding of environmental causation: collaborate with geneticists on gene-environment interaction research. We illustrate with examples from our own research on obesity and smoking.

}, keywords = {Gene-Environment Interaction, Genetic Engineering, Genetic Research, Humans, Obesity, Public Health, Risk Assessment, Smoking, Translational Medical Research}, issn = {1541-0048}, doi = {10.2105/AJPH.2012.301139}, url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3786748/}, author = {Daniel W. Belsky and Terrie E Moffitt and Caspi, Avshalom} }