How PTSD affects aging and health in veterans
Official title: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Accelerated Biological Aging, and Veteran Health
Funded at Durham VA Medical Center · NIH-10876925 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how PTSD might make veterans age faster and lead to more health problems, using special tests to understand their biological aging, so we can help those who need it most.
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 | 2024 |
| NIH project number | 5IK2CX002694-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10876925 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
✕Less likely to help
Patients without PTSD or those who are not veterans may not receive benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and accelerated biological aging in veterans. It aims to understand how PTSD contributes to poorer health outcomes and increased healthcare utilization among veterans, who are at a higher risk for these issues. The study utilizes innovative methods to assess biological aging through DNA methylation markers, allowing for a more efficient evaluation of aging processes. By identifying veterans at risk of rapid aging due to PTSD, the research seeks to promote timely interventions and improve health outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to earlier identification and treatment of veterans at risk for rapid aging and associated health issues.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promising results in using biological markers to assess aging, indicating that this approach may be effective.
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
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
PTSD, Faster Aging, and Veteran Health
A study to see whether PTSD makes aging happen faster in veterans and how this could affect their health and care.
-
Does PTSD speed up biological aging in Veterans
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.
-
Transcutaneous Vagal Nerve Stimulation for PTSD in Veterans
A non-invasive device gently stimulates the vagus nerve to help reduce PTSD symptoms in veterans.
-
Aging Well with HIV: Alcohol, Risk Reduction, and Education Center (AWAR3E)
A center at Yale is exploring how aging with HIV interacts with alcohol use to create inflammation and frailty, with the goal of finding biomarkers and potential treatments.
-
Cognitive SuperAging: Exploring why some octogenarians stay sharp in memory
This NIH grant studies why a small group of people aged 80+ keep memory skills as good as much younger people, hoping to understand how to protect memory as we age.
-
Biological aging across the lifespan through a national high school-to-adult study
This grant uses a long-running national study of students and adults to collect saliva biomarkers of aging, alongside surveys, to understand how aging markers relate to health and life experiences.
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.