A Stanford Medicine-led study discovered varying rates of organ aging, indicating an elevated risk of diseases and mortality when an organ ages significantly faster than counterparts in peers of the same age. Among individuals aged 50 or older, 18.4% exhibited accelerated aging in at least one organ, heightening their risk of organ-related diseases over the next 15 years.
Researchers analyzed thousands of blood proteins, identifying nearly 1,000 originating from specific organs. Aberrant protein levels were linked to accelerated organ aging, disease susceptibility, and mortality. The study narrowed down almost 900 organ-specific proteins to 858 for reliability.
The study found significant associations between identified age gaps for 10 of the 11 organs (excluding the intestine) using a machine-learning algorithm to predict age based on protein levels and a heightened risk of death from all causes over a 15-year follow-up.
People experiencing accelerated aging in their hearts, even without initial signs of active disease or abnormal biomarkers, confronted a 2.5-fold increased risk of heart failure compared to those with hearts aging at a normal rate. Those with “older” brains were 1.8 times more likely to experience cognitive decline over five years than those with “young” brains. Accelerated brain or vasculature aging predicted Alzheimers disease progression as effectively as current clinical biomarkers.
Identifying organ-specific proteins indicating excessive aging and elevated disease risk may open avenues for new drug targets.
(Source:https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-12-researchers-find-a-way-to.html)