People who maintain deep, long-term social ties – whether it’s close family relationships or an active role in the community – appear to age more slowly on a molecular level. That’s the evidence from new research appearing in the journal Brain, Behavior, & Immunity – Health.
The study, led by Anthony D. Ong of Cornell University – along with collaborators from Harvard and Stony Brook universities – offers a comprehensive look at the biology of our social well-being.
‘Cumulative Social Advantage’
The researchers analyzed data from more than 2,100 adults participating in the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study, a long-running national project that’s been tracking the biological, psychological, and social components of aging.
As part of their analysis, the team developed a new measure, which they dubbed cumulative social advantage (CSA), a multidimensional index representing sustained access to social resources across four critical spheres:
- Family relationships.
- Religious or spiritual involvement.
- Emotional support, and
- Community engagement.
Rather than isolating individual indicators, such as marital status or church attendance, the CSA model captures the breadth and persistence of a person’s social connections over time. It integrates 16 measures, from childhood experiences of parental warmth and generosity to adult feelings of belonging and a sense of purpose in one’s community.
Methodology
To explore how these social resources shape health, the research group examined a potential link between CSA and a trio of major biological systems implicated in aging:
- Epigenetic aging: Molecular changes in DNA methylation that serve as “biological clocks,” predicting disease risk and lifespan.
- Systemic inflammation: Chronic, low-grade immune activation associated with heart disease, diabetes, and dementia.
- Neuroendocrine function: Stress-related hormones such as cortisol and catecholamines, which fluctuate in response to daily challenges.
The study’s authors relied on structural equation modeling to better gauge the relationship between CSA and about two dozen biomarkers pulled from these domains, adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic factors.
Social Advantages Might Mean Slower Aging
The researchers discovered a persistent link between higher CSA scores and slower epigenetic aging, particularly on the GrimAge and DunedinPACE clocks. Participants who boasted greater social advantages displayed a biological profile suggesting they were aging more slowly – at the DNA level.
The findings also revealed lower levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a key inflammatory cytokine, among participants with higher CSA. Other inflammatory markers exhibited similar trends, though IL-6 remained the most statistically significant.
Notably, CSA showed no significant relationship with overnight urinary markers of neuroendocrine activity, including cortisol and adrenaline. The authors suggest that social resources might extend their protective effects through slower-acting pathways (such as epigenetic and immune regulation) rather than short-term hormonal stress responses.
Taken together, the findings reinforce a mounting body of evidence that ties social well-being to physical longevity. They align with the “weathering” and “stress-buffering” health models, which hint that social connections can mitigate the wear and tear of chronic stress on the body.
The study’s factor analysis underscored that communal integration accounted for the largest share of the CSA effect. Family and religious support also helped, but much less significantly.
A Broader View of Aging
By demonstrating that social connection is linked not only to emotional health but to molecular and immune regulation, the international research team insist that this study helps bridge biology and social science in a novel way.
What they stumbled onto hints that policies and interventions promoting social inclusion could have real word health benefits. And that people who are more socially embedded – whether it’s through their familial relationships, their faith, or their community involvement – show biological signatures of slower aging and less inflammation. Social capital, it seems, might work the same way as cellular capital, influencing how long (and how) well we live.
Further Reading
Research Shows Challenges and Surprising Benefits of Aging
Education Outshines Blood Pressure in Protecting Aging Minds
Older Adults Get More Curious. But Only If It Interests Them.
