Sexual minority stress and epigenetic aging

Lisa M. Christian; Stephanie Wilson; Annelise A. Madison; Claire M. Kamp Dush; Thomas W. McDade; Juan Peng; Rebecca R. Andridge; Ethan Morgan; Wendy Manning; Steve W. Cole

doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2025.01.022

Sexual minority stress and epigenetic aging

Lisa M. Christian^*, Stephanie Wilson, Annelise A. Madison, Claire M. Kamp Dush, Thomas W. McDade, Juan Peng, Rebecca R. Andridge, Ethan Morgan, Wendy Manning, Steve W. Cole

^*Corresponding author for this work

Anthropology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ + ) individuals have poorer mental and physical health than heterosexuals, and bisexuals fare worse than individuals who identify as lesbian and gay. However, data on stress biology among sexual minorities are critically insufficient. The current pilot study utilized data from 32 bisexual women – a subset of the National Couples’ Health and Time Study – who completed questionnaires and provided blood samples to index biological aging from DNA methylation data (DunedinPACE, GrimAge2). The mean DunedinPACE score was 1.13 (SD = 0.18), which outpaced chronological aging by 13 % (p < 0.001). Likewise, bisexual women in this sample were, on average, 8.67 (SD = 5.96) years older biologically per GrimAge2 as compared to their chronological age. In covariate adjusted models, those reporting greater internalized homonegativity exhibited significantly greater epigenetic age acceleration (GrimAge2: p = 0.01; DunedinPACE: p = 0.041). Those who reported more frequent anti-bisexual experiences also showed accelerated GrimAge2 (p = 0.023). In contrast, those who reported stronger identity centrality (p = 0.017), stronger identity affirmation (p = 0.029), and more friend support (p = 0.018) – a critical type of support for LGBTQ + individuals – had slower GrimAge2. Depressive symptoms, anxiety and loneliness were not associated with GrimAge2 or DunedinPACE. Results suggest that bisexual women are at risk for accelerated aging, and those who have less internal and external affirmation of their sexual identity may be most at risk.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	24-29
Number of pages	6
Journal	Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
Volume	126
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2025.01.022
State	Published - May 2025

Funding

NCHAT is funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, The Office of the Director, and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (5R01HD094081-04, 1U01HD108779-01, & 1R03HD107126-01). NCHAT also benefited from support provided by the University of Minnesota's Minnesota Population Center (P2CHD041023) and the Bowling Green State University's Center for Family and Demographic Research (P2CHD050959). NCHAT-BIO is funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (R21 MD018158 Christian/Morgan Multi-PI), the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development through the Ohio State University Institute for Population Research (IPR) grant (P2CHD058484; Christian/Kamp Dush Multi-PI), pilot funding from the OSU Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health Norman Browning Jr. MD. Family Research Fund (Christian/Kamp Dush Multi-PI), and pilot funding from the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research (IBMR; Christian).

Keywords

Anxiety
Bisexual
Concealment motivation
Depression
Epigenetic aging
Gay
Identity affirmation
Inflammation
Internalized homonegativity
LGBTQ+
Lesbian
Loneliness
Psychoneuroimmunology
Sexual minority
Sexual minority stress
Sexually diverse
Stress
Women

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Immunology
Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
Behavioral Neuroscience

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10.1016/j.bbi.2025.01.022

Cite this

@article{e3264e4087224a039c752b7e723f0954,

title = "Sexual minority stress and epigenetic aging",

abstract = "Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ + ) individuals have poorer mental and physical health than heterosexuals, and bisexuals fare worse than individuals who identify as lesbian and gay. However, data on stress biology among sexual minorities are critically insufficient. The current pilot study utilized data from 32 bisexual women – a subset of the National Couples{\textquoteright} Health and Time Study – who completed questionnaires and provided blood samples to index biological aging from DNA methylation data (DunedinPACE, GrimAge2). The mean DunedinPACE score was 1.13 (SD = 0.18), which outpaced chronological aging by 13 \% (p < 0.001). Likewise, bisexual women in this sample were, on average, 8.67 (SD = 5.96) years older biologically per GrimAge2 as compared to their chronological age. In covariate adjusted models, those reporting greater internalized homonegativity exhibited significantly greater epigenetic age acceleration (GrimAge2: p = 0.01; DunedinPACE: p = 0.041). Those who reported more frequent anti-bisexual experiences also showed accelerated GrimAge2 (p = 0.023). In contrast, those who reported stronger identity centrality (p = 0.017), stronger identity affirmation (p = 0.029), and more friend support (p = 0.018) – a critical type of support for LGBTQ + individuals – had slower GrimAge2. Depressive symptoms, anxiety and loneliness were not associated with GrimAge2 or DunedinPACE. Results suggest that bisexual women are at risk for accelerated aging, and those who have less internal and external affirmation of their sexual identity may be most at risk.",

keywords = "Anxiety, Bisexual, Concealment motivation, Depression, Epigenetic aging, Gay, Identity affirmation, Inflammation, Internalized homonegativity, LGBTQ+, Lesbian, Loneliness, Psychoneuroimmunology, Sexual minority, Sexual minority stress, Sexually diverse, Stress, Women",

author = "Christian, \{Lisa M.\} and Stephanie Wilson and Madison, \{Annelise A.\} and \{Kamp Dush\}, \{Claire M.\} and McDade, \{Thomas W.\} and Juan Peng and Andridge, \{Rebecca R.\} and Ethan Morgan and Wendy Manning and Cole, \{Steve W.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Authors",

year = "2025",

month = may,

doi = "10.1016/j.bbi.2025.01.022",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "126",

pages = "24--29",

journal = "Brain, Behavior, and Immunity",

issn = "0889-1591",

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T1 - Sexual minority stress and epigenetic aging

AU - Christian, Lisa M.

AU - Wilson, Stephanie

AU - Madison, Annelise A.

AU - Kamp Dush, Claire M.

AU - McDade, Thomas W.

AU - Peng, Juan

AU - Andridge, Rebecca R.

AU - Morgan, Ethan

AU - Manning, Wendy

AU - Cole, Steve W.

PY - 2025/5

Y1 - 2025/5

N2 - Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ + ) individuals have poorer mental and physical health than heterosexuals, and bisexuals fare worse than individuals who identify as lesbian and gay. However, data on stress biology among sexual minorities are critically insufficient. The current pilot study utilized data from 32 bisexual women – a subset of the National Couples’ Health and Time Study – who completed questionnaires and provided blood samples to index biological aging from DNA methylation data (DunedinPACE, GrimAge2). The mean DunedinPACE score was 1.13 (SD = 0.18), which outpaced chronological aging by 13 % (p < 0.001). Likewise, bisexual women in this sample were, on average, 8.67 (SD = 5.96) years older biologically per GrimAge2 as compared to their chronological age. In covariate adjusted models, those reporting greater internalized homonegativity exhibited significantly greater epigenetic age acceleration (GrimAge2: p = 0.01; DunedinPACE: p = 0.041). Those who reported more frequent anti-bisexual experiences also showed accelerated GrimAge2 (p = 0.023). In contrast, those who reported stronger identity centrality (p = 0.017), stronger identity affirmation (p = 0.029), and more friend support (p = 0.018) – a critical type of support for LGBTQ + individuals – had slower GrimAge2. Depressive symptoms, anxiety and loneliness were not associated with GrimAge2 or DunedinPACE. Results suggest that bisexual women are at risk for accelerated aging, and those who have less internal and external affirmation of their sexual identity may be most at risk.

AB - Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ + ) individuals have poorer mental and physical health than heterosexuals, and bisexuals fare worse than individuals who identify as lesbian and gay. However, data on stress biology among sexual minorities are critically insufficient. The current pilot study utilized data from 32 bisexual women – a subset of the National Couples’ Health and Time Study – who completed questionnaires and provided blood samples to index biological aging from DNA methylation data (DunedinPACE, GrimAge2). The mean DunedinPACE score was 1.13 (SD = 0.18), which outpaced chronological aging by 13 % (p < 0.001). Likewise, bisexual women in this sample were, on average, 8.67 (SD = 5.96) years older biologically per GrimAge2 as compared to their chronological age. In covariate adjusted models, those reporting greater internalized homonegativity exhibited significantly greater epigenetic age acceleration (GrimAge2: p = 0.01; DunedinPACE: p = 0.041). Those who reported more frequent anti-bisexual experiences also showed accelerated GrimAge2 (p = 0.023). In contrast, those who reported stronger identity centrality (p = 0.017), stronger identity affirmation (p = 0.029), and more friend support (p = 0.018) – a critical type of support for LGBTQ + individuals – had slower GrimAge2. Depressive symptoms, anxiety and loneliness were not associated with GrimAge2 or DunedinPACE. Results suggest that bisexual women are at risk for accelerated aging, and those who have less internal and external affirmation of their sexual identity may be most at risk.

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KW - Epigenetic aging

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KW - Identity affirmation

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KW - LGBTQ+

KW - Lesbian

KW - Loneliness

KW - Psychoneuroimmunology

KW - Sexual minority

KW - Sexual minority stress

KW - Sexually diverse

KW - Stress

KW - Women

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ER -

Sexual minority stress and epigenetic aging

Abstract

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Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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