Evidence of Accelerated Biological Aging in Children with Multiple Sclerosis

Recent research conducted by scientists at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine reveals that children diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) exhibit signs of accelerated biological aging during their teenage years. This groundbreaking study, published in the journal Neurology, is the first to investigate whether MS influences early aging processes in a pediatric population, offering valuable insights into the disease’s long-term progression.

The study found that children with MS show molecular markers indicating that their bodies are biologically older than their chronological age. Using DNA methylation analysis—an epigenetic marker associated with aging—the researchers examined blood samples from 125 children with MS and 145 children without the disease. Despite outwardly appearing healthy, the children with MS demonstrated DNA patterns consistent with being up to two years biologically older than their peers, even though their reported average age was only 15.

Dr. Jennifer S. Graves, senior author of the study, explained, “We found compelling evidence that children living with MS experience accelerated epigenetic aging.” She further noted that this early aging might make MS more challenging to treat, as aging is linked to a less responsive disease course and increased disability progression.

The research analyzed various epigenetic clocks—predictive algorithms that estimate biological age based on DNA modifications—and identified significant differences, especially in two clocks most sensitive to inflammation and health stressors. These findings suggest that children with MS are aging biologically at a faster rate—up to twice as fast as their healthy counterparts.

This discovery raises critical questions about the origins of MS-related decline and highlights the importance of early intervention. Biological aging has already been associated with greater disability in adults with MS, and the current study indicates that these processes may begin in childhood, well before typical symptoms or clinical signs appear.

Dr. Graves emphasized the need for future longitudinal studies to track biological aging over time and its impact on long-term outcomes. She and her team also aim to explore how environmental factors such as social stress, obesity, and exposure to pollutants may accelerate aging in children with MS—particularly among lower-income populations where pediatric MS prevalence is higher.

Understanding these early aging processes could revolutionize MS management, potentially leading to therapies that target cellular damage early in the disease course, with the goal of achieving remission and preventing disability.

Source: medicalxpress.com