Aging is a complex process influenced by mechanisms operating at numerous levels of functioning. Multiple biomarkers of age have been identified, yet we know little about how the different alternative age indicators are intertwined. In the Berlin Aging Study II (nmin= 328; nmax= 1,517, women = 51%; 14.27 years of education), we examined how levels and seven-year changes in indicators derived from blood assays, MRI brain scans, other-ratings, and self-reports converge among older adults. We included eight epigenetic biomarkers (incl. five epigenetic “clocks”), a BioAge composite from clinical laboratory parameters, brain age, skin age, subjective age, subjective life expectancy, and future health horizon. We found moderate associations within aging domains, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally over seven years. However, associations across different domains were infrequent and modest. Notably, participants with older BioAge had correspondingly older epigenetic ages. Our results suggest that different aging clocks are only loosely interconnected and that more specific measures are needed to differentiate healthy from unhealthy aging.

中文翻译：

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有多个时钟为我们计时：年龄和衰老的 14 个替代指标之间的横截面和纵向关联


衰老是一个复杂的过程，受在多个功能层面上运作的机制的影响。已经确定了多种年龄生物标志物，但我们对不同的替代年龄指标是如何交织在一起知之甚少。在柏林老龄化研究 II （nmin= 328;nmax= 1,517;女性 = 51%;14.27 年的教育年限）中，我们检查了来自血液检测、MRI 脑部扫描、其他评级和自我报告的指标的水平和七年变化如何在老年人中收敛。我们纳入了 8 个表观遗传生物标志物（包括 5 个表观遗传学“时钟”），一个来自临床实验室参数、大脑年龄、皮肤年龄、主观年龄、主观预期寿命和未来健康视野的 BioAge 复合物。我们在衰老领域内发现了 7 年内的横断面和纵向中度关联。然而，不同领域的关联并不常见且适度。值得注意的是，BioAge 年龄较大的参与者具有相应的表观遗传年龄。我们的结果表明，不同的衰老时钟只是松散地相互关联，需要更具体的措施来区分健康老龄化和不健康老龄化。