Overview
- Researchers analyzed retinal images, genetics and blood proteins from more than 74,000 participants across CLSA, GoDARTS, UK Biobank and PURE.
- People with less-branched retinal microvessels showed higher cardiovascular risk and biomarkers consistent with accelerated biological aging, including greater inflammation and shorter lifespan.
- The Science Advances paper, published on October 24, 2025, used Mendelian randomization to strengthen causal inference beyond observational associations.
- Proteomic signals highlighted candidate mediators linked to vascular aging, notably MMP12 and the IgG–Fc receptor IIb, which the authors flag as potential drug targets.
- Investigators describe retinal scanning as a scalable, non-invasive risk tool that requires replication, standardization and prospective clinical validation before routine use.