Neighborhood cohesion and epigenetic aging: The contribution of daily stressor reactivity

Abstract Background : People who perceive their neighborhoods as cohesive (i.e., neighbors can trust and count on one another) have better health, yet questions remain regarding the psychosocial and biological mechanisms for this association. Although greater cohesion has been related to reduced affective reactivity to daily stressors (e.g., arguments with a loved one), whether this reduced reactivity explains cohesion-health links remains unclear. The availability of epigenetic “clocks” in research surveys has allowed for examination of early biological risk for poor health in midlife, a life stage when chronic disease is just becoming apparent. The present study tested the hypotheses that greater perceived cohesion would relate to decelerated aging on three epigenetic algorithms, PhenoAge, GrimAge (v2), and DunedinPACE, and that these links would be partially established through reduced affective reactivity to daily stressors. Using data from the Midlife in the United States national survey, the present study utilized multi-level structural equation models to investigate direct and indirect associations between perceived cohesion and epigenetic aging through affective reactivity to daily stressors. Results : People who perceived greater neighborhood cohesion exhibited decelerated epigenetic aging on GrimAge (v2) and DunedinPACE (although not PhenoAge), and these associations were partially explained by reduced affective reactivity to daily stressors. Conclusions : These novel findings suggested a unique daily stress pathway linking perceived neighborhood cohesion to epigenetic aging. Fostering neighborhood cohesion, and therapeutic efforts encouraging coping during times of stress, may assist with decelerating epigenetic aging.