Shen · Nature aging 2024 · longitudinal cohort study · n=108

Nonlinear dynamics of multi-omics profiles during human aging.

Cited 459 times in the scientific literature.

Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study

Prospective longitudinal observational cohort study.

PubMed 39143318 · doi:10.1038/s43587-024-00692-2 · record verified 2026-08-26

What was done

Longitudinal multi-omics profiling was conducted on a cohort of 108 human participants aged 25 to 75 years residing in California, USA. Individuals were tracked over a median duration of 1.7 years, with a maximum follow-up of 6.8 years, to evaluate nonlinear molecular alterations across chronological age.

What was found

Molecular markers of aging showed marked nonlinear changes characterized by two distinct waves of significant dysregulation at approximately 44 years and 60 years of age. The ~44-year wave involved pathways related to cardiovascular disease, lipid metabolism, and alcohol metabolism, whereas the ~60-year wave involved shifts in immune regulation and carbohydrate metabolism. The abstract reported no exact numerical effect sizes or statistical test values.

Why it matters

Demonstrates that molecular aging is not strictly gradual or linear, pinpointing two distinct mid-life and late-life inflection points where metabolic, immune, and cardiovascular pathways substantially shift.

Limits

The cohort was small (n = 108) and limited to a single geographic area (California). The median follow-up was brief (1.7 years) relative to the human lifespan, and the abstract lacks quantitative statistical values and direct clinical outcome validation.

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