Analysis streamlines measurement of physiological ‘wear and tear’

Tables of biomarkers from study

The measurement of allostatic load (cumulative biological dysregulation related to life course stressors) varies widely across studies, making it difficult to rely on the measurement to help predict mortality. An analysis published in Psychoneuroendocrinology has pinpointed five biomarkers that predict mortality as accurately as more elaborate batteries of tests, enabling the researchers, including Harvard Pop Center Director Lisa Berkman, to offer recommendations for more efficient biomarker collection in future allostatic…

Up-to-date details on aging South African population experiencing dramatic demographic shift

A cohort of adults aged 40 and over living in rural South Africa is the focus of Health and Aging in Africa: A Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community in South Africa (HAALSI). A cohort profile published in the International Journal of Epidemiology shares details of the study which is aimed at shedding light on the socioeconomic and health challenges faced by an aging LMIC population.

Prenatal social adversity associated with high-risk levels of inflammation in adulthood

According to a study co-authored by Harvard Pop Center affiliated faculty members Ichiro Kawachi, MD, PhD, and Laura Kubzansky, PhD, Harvard RWJF HSS Alumna Amy Non, PhD, and colleagues, prenatal social adversity was associated with a 3-fold risk for elevated levels of  C-reactive protein (CRP) in adulthood, which indicates high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).