title: Morphometric skin characteristics dependent on chronological and biological age: the Leiden Longevity Study.
abstract: The effect of chronological age on skin characteristics is readily visible, and its underlying histological changes have been a field of study for several years. However, the effect of biological age (i.e. a person's rate of ageing compared to their chronological age) on the skin has so far only been studied in facial photographs. Skin biopsies obtained from middle-aged offspring of nonagenarian siblings that are genetically enriched for longevity were compared to their partners who represent the general Dutch population. Though of the same chronological age, the offspring were previously observed to be of a younger biological age than their partners. The biopsies were analysed on several aspects epidermal and elastic fibre morphology. We investigated whether these skin characteristics were dependent on chronological age, familial longevity (the difference between the offspring and partners) and Framingham heart risk scores, adjusted for external stressors. A decreased thickness and flattening of the epidermis as well as an increased amount of elastic fibres in the reticular dermis were observed with chronological age (P < 0.001, P < 0.001 and P = 0.03, respectively), but no effect of familial longevity was found. The Framingham heart risk score was associated with some skin characteristics. A slower rate of skin ageing does not mark offspring from nonagenarian siblings. Epidermal and elastic fibre morphometric characteristics are not a potential marker for familial longevity in middle-aged subjects enriched for familial longevity.
authors: Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands.
authors: Mariette E C
authors: ME
authors: Waaijer
authors: David A
authors: DA
authors: Gunn
authors: Sharon D
authors: SD
authors: Catt
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: van Ginkel
authors: Anton J M
authors: AJ
authors: de Craen
authors: Nicole M
authors: NM
authors: Hudson
authors: Diana
authors: D
authors: van Heemst
authors: P Eline
authors: PE
authors: Slagboom
authors: Rudi G J
authors: RG
authors: Westendorp
authors: Andrea B
authors: AB
authors: Maier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000235:genetics; D004547:Elastic Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D004817:Epidermis / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000235:genetics; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000235:genetics; D009426:Netherlands; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D015595:Skin Aging / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers