{
  "abstract": "Environmental conditions experienced early in life have profound consequences for vertebrate health, yet the molecular pathways linking developmental stress to aging and reduced lifespan remain poorly understood. Through a novel highly accurate epigenetic clock, developed from RRBS-based blood DNA methylation profiles, we show that experimental lifespan-reducing early-life stress rapidly accelerates epigenetic age in zebra finch chicks (Taeniopygia guttata). Corticosterone-treated 29-day-old chicks share differentially methylated loci with non-treated aged birds and cluster with 6-month-old birds. The transcriptional repressor ZBTB16 emerges as an epigenetically top age-correlated gene and is strongest affected by corticosterone. Elevated developmental corticosterone causes rapid epigenetic remodelling of metabolic pathways well-established in aging and longevity. Our results demonstrate epigenetic rewiring of the aging trajectory through conserved stress-survival mechanisms immediately following elevated early-life stress exposure.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "University of Edinburgh"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 11,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "N. N. Olova"
    },
    {
      "name": "T. Zhou"
    },
    {
      "name": "W. Boner"
    },
    {
      "name": "R. Gillespie"
    },
    {
      "name": "E. R. Ivimey-Cook"
    },
    {
      "name": "R. Marioni"
    },
    {
      "name": "E. J. A. Cunningham"
    },
    {
      "name": "T. Chandra"
    },
    {
      "name": "T. J. Little"
    },
    {
      "name": "P. Monaghan"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. M. Dominoni"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0zxvd4w9839nj.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.09.30.755600",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.30.755600v1.full",
  "id": "0zxvd4w9839nj",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.30.755600v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "developmental biology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1312|Epigenetics and DNA Methylation"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7216492794",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.30.755600v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-30",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0zxvd4w9839nj.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:25:46Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.09.30.755600",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.30.755600v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:developmental biology",
      "subfield": "developmental-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Increased stress in early life epigenetically rewires pathways related to aging and longevity",
  "title_text": "Increased stress in early life epigenetically rewires pathways related to aging and longevity",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:25:46Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0zxvd4w9839nj",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}