Lifelong Social Connectionsโค Linked to Slower Biological Aging
A lifetime of strong social connections – from supportive childhoods to robust community involvement – may significantly slowโค the biological aging โขprocess,according to new research publishedโค in Brain,behavior and Immunity – Health. The study,drawing on data โขfrom over 2,100 adults participating โคin โขthe โขlong-running MIDUS study,reveals that individuals with greater “cumulative โsocial advantage” exhibit a younger biological age than thier chronological age,as measured by analyzing DNA methylation patterns.
Researchers, led by โCornell University psychologyโฃ professor Anthony Ong, found that those with โฃhigher levelsโ of cumulative social advantage showed slower epigenetic aging and reduced chronicโ inflammation. They โขfocused on epigenetic clocks -โ grimage and DunedinPACE – which are highly predictive of health and longevity, and observed significantly younger โขprofiles โขon both in individuals with stronger, more sustained โsocial networks.
“Cumulative social advantage encompasses the depth โand breadth โof โyour social โฃconnections over a lifetime,” explains Ong.The study considered four key areas: parental warmth during childhood, connection to community and neighborhood, โinvolvement in religious or faith-based communities, and ongoing support from friends andโค family.
The research โขsuggestsโฃ that this sustained social advantage impactsโข core biological systems linked to aging, including epigenetic, inflammatory, and neuroendocrine pathways. Notably, higher social advantageโ correlated with lower levels of interleukin-6, a pro-inflammatory molecule associated with serious health conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Interestingly, the study did not find notable links to โฃshort-term stress markers like cortisol.
This study differs from previous research by viewing social well-being notโ as isolated factors (like marital status or number of โfriends) but asโ a multidimensional,cumulative construct. The benefits of social connectionโ appear to build upon each other over time.
“These social resources build on each other,” Ong emphasizes. “It’s notโข just about having friends today; it’s about how your social connections have grown and deepened throughout your life. That accumulation โฃshapes your health trajectoryโ in measurable โคways.”
While a single act of connection won’t reverse aging, the study underscores the importance of consistent, deep social engagement throughoutโ life. The findings reinforce the growing โคunderstanding that social life is not merely about happiness, but a fundamental pillar of physiological health. As ong puts it, “Think of social connections like a retirement account – the earlier you start investing andโ the more consistently you contribute, the greater your returns, both emotionally and biologically.”