Differential methylation in CD44 and SEC23A is associated with time preference in older individuals.
Econ Hum Biol
; 49: 101233, 2023 04.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36812724
ABSTRACT
Time preference is a measure used to ascertain the level of which individuals prefer smaller, immediate rewards over larger, delayed rewards. We explored how an individual's time preference associates with their epigenetic profile. Time preferences were ascertained by asking participants of the Northern Ireland COhort for the Longitudinal study of Ageing to make a series of choices between two hypothetical income scenarios. From these, eight 'time preference' categories were derived, ranging from "patient" to "impatient" on an ordinal scale. The Infinium High Density Methylation Assay, MethylationEPIC (Illumina) was used to evaluate the status of 862,927 CpGs. Time preference and DNA methylation data were obtained for 1648 individuals. Four analyses were conducted, assessing the methylation patterns at single site resolution between patient and impatient individuals using two adjustment models. In this discovery cohort analysis, two CpG sites were identified with significantly different levels of methylation (p < 9 × 10-8) between the individuals allocated to the patient group and the remaining population following adjustment for covariates; cg08845621 within CD44 and cg18127619 within SEC23A. Neither of these genes have previously been linked to time preference. Epigenetic modifications have not previously been linked to time preference using a population cohort but they may represent important biomarkers of accumulated, complex determinants of this trait. Further analysis is warranted of both the top-ranked results and of DNA methylation as an important link between measurable biomarkers and health behaviours.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
DNA Methylation
/
Epigenesis, Genetic
Type of study:
Observational_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Aspects:
Patient_preference
Limits:
Aged
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Econ Hum Biol
Journal subject:
BIOLOGIA
/
CIENCIAS SOCIAIS
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Reino Unido