"[…] these data demonstrate that baboons exhibit varying degrees of differences between their chronological and epigenetic ages (i.e., their delta age), allowing characterization of baboons as age-accelerated or decelerated."
BUFFALO, NY — April 23, 2025 — A new research paper was published in Aging (Aging-US) Volume 17, Issue 3 , on March 18, 2025, titled " Epigenetic and accelerated age in captive olive baboons (Papio anubis), and relationships with walking speed and fine motor performance ."
In this study, led by Sarah J. Neal from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center , researchers examined how the epigenetic age of baboons—a measure of biological aging based on DNA methylation—compared to their actual age (chronological age) and whether it related to signs of aging like slower walking or reduced hand coordination. While many baboons showed a mismatch between their epigenetic and chronological ages, these differences did not consistently align with physical performance measures.
Researchers analyzed blood samples from 140 captive olive baboons (Papio anubis) to determine whether these primates, like humans, show signs of "age acceleration"—a condition where epigenetic age surpasses chronological age. The results revealed that about a quarter of the baboons exhibited accelerated aging, while another quarter showed signs of slower aging, known as "age deceleration."
"We found that epigenetic age was strongly correlated with chronological age, and that approximately 27% of the sample showed age acceleration and 28% showed age deceleration."
The scientists then investigated whether these differences were reflected in physical indicators such as walking speed or fine motor skills. To do this, researchers measured walking speed by tracking how quickly baboons moved between points in their enclosures and assessed fine motor skills using a simple task that involved picking up small objects.
Older baboons did tend to walk more slowly and perform worse on tasks requiring dexterity, patterns also seen in aging humans. However, these changes were more closely related to chronological age than epigenetic age. Two different methods were used to measure the gap between epigenetic and chronological age. Each method produced slightly different outcomes, highlighting the complexity of defining age acceleration. In one analysis, the oldest baboons appeared to age more slowly epigenetically, possibly reflecting selective survival, where only the healthiest individuals live into old age.
This research is among the first to classify baboons based on their epigenetic aging rate and investigate how this links to real-world signs of aging. Although the findings did not provide clear evidence that epigenetic age acceleration leads to physical decline, they point to the importance of DNA methylation as a biomarker in aging research. Because baboons share many biological similarities with humans, these findings help refine how researchers measure aging and assess potential early warning signs of decline. Continued studies in baboons and other primates may improve our understanding of how epigenetic aging influences health and longevity—and could help develop better tools for predicting age-related decline in humans.
Read the full paper: DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206223
