Stochastic Changes are Sufficient to Produce the Behavior of Aging Clocks
Recent advancements in aging biology have sparked debates about the nature of aging clocks. A study reveals that stochastic changes, rather than an evolved program, can lead to the development of aging clocks. The accumulation of molecular damage from random events can mirror the effects observed in aging clocks, shedding light on interventions for age-related diseases.
Aging clocks represent a significant breakthrough in the field, offering potential insights into interventions for aging and age-related diseases. This study demonstrates that accumulating stochastic variation in simulated data can create accurate aging clocks, aligning with DNA methylation or transcriptomic data. Evidence suggests that stochastic changes can predict chronological and biological age, challenging the notion of a programmed aging process.
Results indicate that stochastic accumulation can predict age differences influenced by various factors like smoking, calorie restriction, and more. While not ruling out programmed aging entirely, the study implies that stochastic changes in any dataset with a starting point at age zero can generate aging clocks.
Link: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43587-024-00619-x
