Does PTSD speed up biological aging in Veterans
Official title: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Accelerated Biological Aging, and Veteran Health
Funded at Durham VA Medical Center · NIH-11132690 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether Veterans with PTSD have signs of faster biological aging using blood-based markers so high-risk Veterans can be identified earlier.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Durham VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5IK2CX002694-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11132690 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are Veterans with a history of PTSD who can provide a blood sample and share their health records or medical history.
✕Less likely to help
People without PTSD, non-Veterans, or those unwilling to provide samples or health information likely would not benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
As a Veteran, you'd be asked to give a one-time blood sample and share health information so researchers can measure DNA methylation markers that estimate biological aging. The team will compare these aging markers between Veterans who have PTSD and those who do not to see if PTSD links to faster aging. The approach uses single-timepoint blood biomarkers (methylation 'clocks') that can estimate how fast the body is aging. If differences are found, the results could help flag Veterans at risk years before major health problems develop.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help identify Veterans with PTSD who are aging faster so they can get earlier care to prevent disease and disability.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have linked PTSD to accelerated aging using DNA methylation clocks, but applying single-timepoint methylation measures as a clinical screening tool for Veterans is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Durham VA Medical Center
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bourassa, Kyle J. — Durham VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Bourassa, Kyle J.
Related research
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Biological aging across the lifespan through a national high school-to-adult study
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.