Low sensory responsiveness is associated with accelerated aging in midlife

This study examines the associations between sensory responsiveness levels and biological age among midlife adults, providing insights into the aging process. A cross-sectional study was conducted from 2020 to 2021 on a subset of the Jerusalem Perinatal Study in Israel, including 96 midlife adults (aged 45.65 ± 0.66, 49% women). Biological age was estimated using physiological and blood biomarkers, following the Klemera-Doubal method. The Sensory Responsiveness Questionnaire Scale and the Social Engagement and Activities Questionnaire were employed, along with physical capacity measurements such as muscle strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and gait analysis. The hypothesis suggested that levels of sensory responsiveness (high or low) would be associated with biological age. Results indicated that low sensory responsiveness was positively associated with older biological age (adjusted R²=0.25, p < 0.01), after controlling for age, sex, social engagement, education and physical capacity. Conversely, high sensory responsiveness showed no significant correlation with biological age. These findings suggest that sensory responsiveness may serve as a potential marker for biological age during midlife and should be considered when addressing early signs of aging, thereby contributing to a deeper understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying aging and age-related diseases.