Accelerated epigenetic aging in adolescents living with HIV is associated with altered development of brain structures.

We recently demonstrated that adolescents perinatally infected with HIV-1 (PHIV+) have accelerated aging as measured by a highly accurate epigenetic biomarker of aging known as the epigenetic clock. However, whether epigenetic age acceleration in PHIV+ impacts brain development at the macro- and microstructural levels of brain anatomy has not been studied. We report on a cross-sectional study of PHIV+ enrolled in the Cape Town Adolescent Antiretroviral Cohort (CTAAC).

Accelerated epigenetic aging in adolescents from low-income households is associated with altered development of brain structures.

The relationship between cognitive performance, macro and microstructural brain anatomy and accelerated aging as measured by a highly accurate epigenetic biomarker of aging known as the epigenetic clock in healthy adolescents has not been studied. Healthy adolescents enrolled in the Cape Town Adolescent Antiretroviral Cohort Study were studied cross sectionally. The Illumina Infinium Methylation EPIC array was used to generate DNA methylation data from the blood samples of 44 adolescents aged 9 to 12 years old.