Epigenetic age and preterm outcomes: brain injury and maternal education as modifiers
In a prospective cohort of 102 children born at 24–32 weeks' gestation, epigenetic age acceleration at 3 years was associated with higher cognitive and motor scores; severe brain injury modified the motor association. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
The prospective cohort included 102 children born at 24 to 32 weeks' gestation, with buccal epithelial cell DNA collected at 3 years. [1]
Epigenetic age acceleration at 3 years was associated with higher cognitive and motor scores. [1]
Severe brain injury modified the association between epigenetic aging and motor outcomes, and children with acceleration plus severe brain injury had higher motor scores. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Prospective cohort study (abstract)
- Population / context
- Children born at 24 to 32 weeks' gestation with buccal epithelial cell DNA collected at 3 years.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- October 1, 2026
Preterm cohort measured at 3 years
This was a prospective cohort study of children born at 24 to 32 weeks' gestation, recruited from two neonatal intensive care units between 2015 and 2019 and followed up to January 2026. Included were 102 participants with buccal epithelial cell DNA collected at 3 years; median gestational age was 27.0 weeks and 54 were female. Epigenetic age in weeks at 3 years was estimated with a pediatric buccal epigenetic clock and corrected for chronological age, giving an epigenetic age difference. Cognitive and motor outcomes were assessed at 3 years with the Bayley-III.
Supporting source [1]
Higher scores with epigenetic age acceleration
In linear regression analyses, higher maternal educational level (β = 11.65; 95% CI, 3.55–19.76) and epigenetic age acceleration (β = 0.07; 95% CI, 0.01–0.14) were associated with higher cognitive scores. Epigenetic age acceleration was also associated with higher motor scores (β = 0.16; 95% CI, 0.06–0.27). Extreme prematurity (β = −5.66; 95% CI, −10.85 to −0.46) and severe brain injury (β = −10.99; 95% CI, −21.32 to −0.66) were associated with lower motor scores. These are associations, not evidence of cause.
Supporting source [1]
Severe brain injury modified the motor association
Secondary analyses examined whether brain injury and maternal education level modified the associations between epigenetic age difference and cognitive and motor outcomes at 3 years. Severe brain injury modified the association between epigenetic aging and motor outcomes (β = 0.41; 95% CI, 0.08–0.74), and children with epigenetic age acceleration in the presence of severe brain injury had higher motor scores. The authors conclude that the association between epigenetic aging and neurodevelopment is context dependent and can vary with preterm risk factors.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. The design is observational, so associations do not show cause. The sample was 102 children from two neonatal intensive care units, and results concern outcomes measured at 3 years.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Christensen R, Konwar C, Zhuang BC, MacIsaac J, Chau V, Cizmeci MN, Ly LG, Guo T, Branson H, Kobor MS, Grunau RE, Miller SP. · europepmc.org · October 1, 2026