Childhood trauma, epigenetic age acceleration and chronic pain in two cohorts
In two population cohorts from the UK and USA, childhood trauma was associated with chronic pain and with accelerated biological aging, mainly on second- and third-generation clocks; associations were stronger in women, and epigenetic age acceleration partially accounted for the trauma–pain link in women. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
The analyses used two independent population cohorts: Generation Scotland (n = 901) and MIDUS from the USA (n = 1041). [1]
Childhood trauma was associated with chronic pain and with accelerated biological aging, mainly on second- and third-generation clocks, and associations were stronger in women. [1]
Epigenetic age acceleration measured with GrimAge clocks partially accounted for the link between childhood trauma and chronic pain in women. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Abstract of an observational study analysing two population cohorts with sex-stratified regression and mediation analyses.
- Population / context
- Women and men in two population cohorts from the UK (Generation Scotland, n = 901) and the USA (MIDUS, n = 1041).
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Publication status
- Preprint · peer-review status not confirmed
- Original publication
- September 9, 2026
Two cohorts, methylation clocks and pain
The abstract reports analyses of two independent population cohorts: Generation Scotland (n = 901) and MIDUS from the USA (n = 1041). Epigenetic age acceleration was estimated from DNA methylation clocks of the first generation (Hannum, Horvath) and second generation (GrimAge, PhenoAge) relative to chronological age; DunedinPACE, a third-generation measure, estimated pace of aging. Associations between childhood trauma, epigenetic age acceleration and chronic pain were examined with sex-stratified regression models adjusted for confounders and covariates, followed by mediation analyses.
Supporting source [1]
Trauma linked to pain and faster aging
Childhood trauma was associated with chronic pain and with accelerated biological aging, measured primarily with second- and third-generation clocks. Associations were consistently stronger in women, and the relationships were dose-dependent with trauma severity. Smoking-related methylation contributed substantially to the relationship between epigenetic age acceleration and chronic pain. Mediation analyses indicated that epigenetic age acceleration, established with GrimAge clocks, partially accounts for the link between childhood trauma and chronic pain in women.
Supporting source [1]
Interpretation and open questions
The authors interpret the results as support for the hypothesis that childhood trauma contributes to chronic pain vulnerability partly through accelerated biological aging, particularly in women. They note that second- and third-generation clocks appeared more sensitive to long-term consequences of childhood trauma than clocks trained primarily on chronological age. They state that further studies are needed to determine whether accelerated biological aging after childhood trauma can be modified through behavioural, clinical or public health interventions.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
This explainer is based only on the abstract; the full text was not reviewed. The abstract reports associations from two population cohorts, not causal effects, and mediation is described as partial. Whether accelerated biological aging after childhood trauma is modifiable remains an open question according to the authors.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Russell H, Singleton S, Colvin LA, Macfarlane GJ, Cole S, Bell CG, Hales TG. · europepmc.org · September 9, 2026