An Interesting But Probably Incorrect View of Epigenetic Change

Source https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2025/06/an-interesting-but-probably-incorrect-view-of-epigenetic-change/

The core hypothesis of this paper is that epigenetic changes characteristic of aging are all adaptive, beneficial attempts by cells to resist damage and dysfunction. This seems dubious. Looking into the aging body, we can point to any number of maladaptive, harmful changes in function; reactions that would be beneficial in youth, or when operating only temporarily, but become harmful in the aged tissue environment, or when sustained over time. Think of the way the immune system reacts to the age-damaged environment to generate chronic inflammation, for example. Why should epigenetic regulation be exempt from such maladaptive change?

Methylation clocks have found th…

What Do You Think?

comments