The nonDarwinian Epigenetics of Divorce

And I (Jesus) say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery." - Matthew 19:9




The article "Parental Divorce in Childhood and the Accelerated Epigenetic Aging for Earlier and Later Cohorts: Role of Mediators of Chronic Depressive Symptoms, Education, Smoking, Obesity, and Own Marital Disruption" by Joshi et al. (2023) investigates the relationship between parental divorce in childhood and accelerated epigenetic aging in two cohorts born in different time periods. Epigenetic aging is a measure of how quickly someone's cells are aging, and it has been linked to a number of health problems, including heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease.


The study found that parental divorce was associated with accelerated epigenetic aging in the later-born cohort, but not in the earlier-born cohort. This suggests that the effects of parental divorce on epigenetic aging may be changing over time.

The study also examined a number of potential mediators of the relationship between parental divorce and epigenetic aging. These mediators included chronic depressive symptoms, education, smoking, obesity, and own marital disruption. 


The researchers found that chronic depressive symptoms, lower education levels, and smoking all partially mediated the relationship between parental divorce and epigenetic aging in the later-born cohort.

These findings suggest that parental divorce may lead to accelerated epigenetic aging through a number of different pathways. One possibility is that parental divorce leads to chronic stress, which can in turn lead to epigenetic changes that accelerate aging. Another possibility is that parental divorce leads to unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking and obesity, which can also contribute to accelerated epigenetic aging.

The study's findings have important implications for our understanding of the long-term health effects of parental divorce. They suggest that parental divorce may increase children's risk of developing age-related diseases later in life. However, the study also found that some of the effects of parental divorce on epigenetic aging can be mediated by factors such as education and health behaviors. This suggests that there are ways to mitigate the negative effects of parental divorce on children's long-term health.

It is important to note that the study is observational, so it cannot prove that parental divorce causes accelerated epigenetic aging. However, the findings are consistent with other research that has shown that parental divorce is associated with a number of health problems later in life. More research is needed to confirm the findings of this study and to better understand the mechanisms by which parental divorce may lead to accelerated epigenetic aging.


The implication of the article challenges neo-Darwinism in the following ways:

  • Neo-Darwinism emphasizes the role of genetic inheritance in determining individual traits and outcomes. However, the study found that parental divorce, an environmental factor, was associated with accelerated epigenetic aging, even after controlling for genetic factors. This suggests that environmental factors can play a significant role in shaping individual traits and outcomes, even independently of genetic inheritance.

  • Neo-Darwinism assumes that natural selection is the primary driver of evolutionary change. However, the study found that the association between parental divorce and accelerated epigenetic aging differed between earlier and later cohorts. This suggests that evolutionary change can be influenced by social and cultural factors.

  • Neo-Darwinism focuses on individual-level adaptation. However, the study found that parental divorce was associated with accelerated epigenetic aging through mediating factors such as chronic depressive symptoms, education, smoking, obesity, and own marital disruption. This suggests that individual traits and outcomes are shaped by a complex interplay of individual, social, and environmental factors.

Overall, the study's findings suggest that neo-Darwinism is an incomplete and overly simplistic framework for understanding the evolution of human traits and outcomes. Environmental factors, social and cultural factors, and complex interactions between individual, social, and environmental factors all play important roles in shaping human evolution.

Here are some specific examples of how the study's findings challenge neo-Darwinism:

  • The finding that parental divorce is associated with accelerated epigenetic aging, even after controlling for genetic factors, suggests that environmental factors can have a significant impact on gene expression and cellular aging. This is in contrast to the neo-Darwinian view that genetic inheritance is the primary determinant of individual traits and outcomes.

  • The finding that the association between parental divorce and accelerated epigenetic aging differs between earlier and later cohorts suggests that evolutionary change can be influenced by social and cultural factors. This is in contrast to the neo-Darwinian view that natural selection is the primary driver of evolutionary change.

  • The finding that parental divorce is associated with accelerated epigenetic aging through mediating factors such as chronic depressive symptoms, education, smoking, obesity, and own marital disruption suggests that individual traits and outcomes are shaped by a complex interplay of individual, social, and environmental factors. This is in contrast to the neo-Darwinian focus on individual-level adaptation.

Overall, the study's findings suggest that neo-Darwinism is an incomplete and overly simplistic framework for understanding the evolution of human traits and outcomes.

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