Research Paper

Figure 4. (A) Relationship between current stress levels (Axe X) and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) (axe Y) across various epigenetic clocks (EpiAge, DNAmAge, DNAmAgeHannum, DNAmPhenoAge, DNAmAgeSkinBloodClock, DNAGrimAge v1, and DNAGrimAge v2) from the study GSE72680, analyzed using Pearson’s r. Stress level severity is represented by increasing numbers where a score of 0 means No Stress, and 15 is the most severe stress. Each plot in this figure represents a different clock, highlighting the strength and significance of their relationships with current stress. The central line in each plot represents the regression line, accompanied by two red lines which delineate the 95% confidence intervals, underlining the precision of the correlation estimates. (B) Scatter plots illustrate the relationship between varying stress levels and epigenetic age acceleration across different epigenetic clocks. The plot compares five groups categorized by stress intensity: No Stress (Level 0, n=9), Low Stress (Levels 1-4, n=149), Moderate Stress (Levels 5-7, n=106), High Stress (Levels 8-10, n=48), and Severe Stress (Levels 11-15, n=13). Each point represents an individual’s epigenetic age acceleration, with group comparisons analyzed using ordinary one-way ANOVA and Dunnett’s multiple comparisons test to assess statistical differences between the No Stress group and each of the stress intensity groups. (C) Scatter plots depicting the relationship between stress levels and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) across various epigenetic clocks, incorporating control groups for a comprehensive analysis. This plot includes six groups: No Stress (Level 0, n=9), Low Stress (Levels 1-4, n=149), Moderate Stress (Levels 5-7, n=106), High Stress (Levels 8-10, n=48), Severe Stress (Levels 11-15, n=13), and an added Control group (n=419, combining subjects from datasets GSE128235 and GSE125105). Each point illustrates an individual’s EAA. Group differences were statistically evaluated using ordinary one-way ANOVA with Dunnett’s multiple comparisons test, comparing each stress level group as well as the Control group against the No Stress group to identify significant variations in EAA.