UCLA study finds link between Down syndrome and premature aging

UCLA researchers recently conducted a study showing that Down syndrome can accelerate aging throughout the body.

Using an epigenetic clock that tracks chemical reactions to measure the ages of different tissues in the body, the researchers found that the biological ages of the brain tissue and blood tissue in people with Down syndrome are much older than the patient’s true chronological age.

The advanced aging could lead to an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in individuals with Down syndrome, because it can cause a more rapid development of the tangles and fibers associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Compiled by Meghan Hodges, Bruin contributor.