GrimAge epigenetic clock linked to brain ageing and social factors in people with HIV
In a case-control study, virally suppressed people with HIV showed elevated GrimAge, an epigenetic clock, and GrimAge correlated with brain MRI features and cognitive test results; social and medical factors were examined as risks for epigenetic ageing. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
The case-control study included 126 virally suppressed people with HIV and 145 people without HIV. [1]
GrimAge and other epigenetic clocks were linked with brain morphology and cognitive dysfunction. [1]
Neighbourhood socioeconomics, unemployment, early life stress, education and medical comorbidities were examined as risk factors for epigenetic ageing. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Case-control study (abstract).
- Population / context
- 126 virally suppressed people with HIV and 145 people without HIV.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- September 24, 2026
HIV and comparison group in a case-control study
The abstract describes a case-control study comparing 126 virally suppressed people with HIV (average age 53.8 years) and 145 people without HIV (average age 48.1 years). Participants gave blood, had brain MRI scans and completed neuropsychological testing. Four DNA methylation-based epigenetic clocks were calculated: GrimAge (predictive of mortality), PhenoAge (sensitive to morbidity), DunedinPACE (longitudinal) and DNA methylation telomere length. These clocks were correlated with MRI features and cognitive domains.
Supporting source [1]
Elevated GrimAge and links to brain and cognition
The findings report elevated GrimAge in people with HIV. The abstract states that GrimAge and other clocks were linked with brain morphology and cognitive dysfunction. The text of the findings section is partly truncated in the supplied abstract, so the exact correlation values and which cognitive domains were affected are not fully reported here. The authors interpret the results as biological age alterations persisting in people with HIV despite viral suppression.
Supporting source [1]
Social and comorbid risk factors examined
Neighbourhood socioeconomics, unemployment, early life stress, education and medical comorbidities were examined as risk factors for epigenetic ageing. The authors suggest that biological ageing is influenced by modifiable social and comorbid risk factors. These are described as associations in a case-control design, not as proven causes. The abstract does not report effect sizes for these risk factors, and the full text was not reviewed.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. The findings section is partly truncated, so correlation values and affected cognitive domains are not fully reported. This is a case-control design, so links are associations, not causes.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Petersen KJ, Kim S, Canfield P, Roman J, Cooley SA, Bhuma M, Anderson A, Nelson B, Reid P, Westerhaus E, Caocci M, Burdo TH, Sotiras A, Ances BM. · europepmc.org · September 24, 2026