How Childhood Neighborhoods Leave an Invisible Mark on the Biological Clock

Long before the first gray hairs appear or doctors diagnose age-related conditions like heart disease, stroke, and dementia, our environment is already leaving an invisible mark inside our cells. A recent study published in JAMA Network Open reveals that growing up in a socioeconomically disadvantaged county can accelerate biological aging and chronic inflammation by early midlife, before disease symptoms ever show up.

Led by Department of Sociology Associate Professor Taylor W. Hargrove and a team of researchers, the study tracked 3,788 Black and White Americans over more than two decades.

Published on Wed, Sep 16, 2026 - 11:34AM