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Low Birth Weight in MZ Twins Discordant for Birth Weight is Associated with Shorter Telomere Length and lower IQ, but not Anxiety/Depression in Later Life. Twin Res Hum Genet 2015; 18:198-209. [PMID: 25744032 DOI: 10.1017/thg.2015.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Shorter telomere length (TL) has found to be associated with lower birth weight and with lower cognitive ability and psychiatric disorders. However, the direction of causation of these associations and the extent to which they are genetically or environmentally mediated are unclear. Within-pair comparisons of monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins can throw light on these questions. We investigated correlations of within pair differences in telomere length, IQ, and anxiety/depression in an initial sample from Brisbane (242 MZ pairs, 245 DZ same sex (DZSS) pairs) and in replication samples from Amsterdam (514 MZ pairs, 233 DZSS pairs) and Melbourne (19 pairs selected for extreme high or low birth weight difference). Intra-pair differences of birth weight and telomere length were significantly correlated in MZ twins, but not in DZSS twins. Greater intra-pair differences of telomere length were observed in the 10% of MZ twins with the greatest difference in birth weight compared to the bottom 90% in both samples and also in the Melbourne sample. Intra-pair differences of telomere length and IQ, but not of TL and anxiety/depression, were correlated in MZ twins, and to a smaller extent in DZSS twins. Our findings suggest that the same prenatal effects that reduce birth weight also influence telomere length in MZ twins. The association between telomere length and IQ is partly driven by the same prenatal effects that decrease birth weight.
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Zahran S, Snodgrass JG, Maranon DG, Upadhyay C, Granger DA, Bailey SM. Stress and telomere shortening among central Indian conservation refugees. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:E928-36. [PMID: 25730846 PMCID: PMC4352804 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1411902112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Research links psychosocial stress to premature telomere shortening and accelerated human aging; however, this association has only been demonstrated in so-called "WEIRD" societies (Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic), where stress is typically lower and life expectancies longer. By contrast, we examine stress and telomere shortening in a non-Western setting among a highly stressed population with overall lower life expectancies: poor indigenous people--the Sahariya--who were displaced (between 1998 and 2002) from their ancestral homes in a central Indian wildlife sanctuary. In this setting, we examined adult populations in two representative villages, one relocated to accommodate the introduction of Asiatic lions into the sanctuary (n = 24 individuals), and the other newly isolated in the sanctuary buffer zone after their previous neighbors were moved (n = 22). Our research strategy combined physical stress measures via the salivary analytes cortisol and α-amylase with self-assessments of psychosomatic stress, ethnographic observations, and telomere length assessment [telomere-fluorescence in situ hybridization (TEL-FISH) coupled with 3D imaging of buccal cell nuclei], providing high-resolution data amenable to multilevel statistical analysis. Consistent with expectations, we found significant associations between each of our stress measures--the two salivary analytes and the psychosomatic symptom survey--and telomere length, after adjusting for relevant behavioral, health, and demographic traits. As the first study (to our knowledge) to link stress to telomere length in a non-WEIRD population, our research strengthens the case for stress-induced telomere shortening as a pancultural biomarker of compromised health and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sammy Zahran
- Department of Economics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1771
| | - Jeffrey G Snodgrass
- Department of Anthropology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1787;
| | - David G Maranon
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1681
| | - Chakrapani Upadhyay
- Department of Sociology, Government Postgraduate College, Pratapgarh, Rajasthan 312604, India
| | - Douglas A Granger
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1104; and School of Nursing and Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205
| | - Susan M Bailey
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1681
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Lin J, Blalock JA, Chen M, Ye Y, Gu J, Cohen L, Cinciripini PM, Wu X. Depressive symptoms and short telomere length are associated with increased mortality in bladder cancer patients. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2014; 24:336-43. [PMID: 25416716 DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-14-0992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression is associated with an increased risk of mortality in patients with cancer; it has been hypothesized that depression-associated alterations in cell aging mechanisms, in particular, the telomere/telomerase maintenance system, may underlie this increased risk. We evaluated the association of depressive symptoms and telomere length to mortality and recurrence/progression in 464 patients with bladder cancer. METHODS We used the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Disorder (SCID) to assess current depressive symptoms and lifetime major depressive disorder (MDD), respectively, and telomere length was assessed from peripheral blood lymphocytes. Multivariate Cox regression was used to assess the association of depression and telomere length to outcomes and the joint effect of both. Kaplan-Meier plots and log-rank tests were used to compare survival time of subgroups by depression variables and telomere length. RESULTS Patients with depressive symptoms (CES-D ≥ 16) had a 1.83-fold [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.08-3.08; P = 0.024] increased risk of mortality compared with patients without depressive symptoms (CES-D < 16) and shorter disease-free survival time (P = 0.004). Patients with both depressive symptoms and lifetime history of MDD were at 4.88-fold (95% CI, 1.40-16.99; P = 0.013) increased risk compared with patients with neither condition. Compared to patients without depressive symptoms and long telomere length, patients with depressive symptoms and short telomeres exhibited a 4-fold increased risk of mortality (HR, 3.96; 95% CI, 1.86-8.41; P = 0.0003) and significantly shorter disease-free survival time (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Short telomere length and depressive symptoms are associated with bladder cancer mortality individually and jointly. IMPACT Further investigation of interventions that impact depression and telomere length may be warranted in patients with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Lin
- Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Janice A Blalock
- Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Meng Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Yuanqing Ye
- Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jian Gu
- Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Lorenzo Cohen
- General Oncology and the Integrative Medicine Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
| | - Paul M Cinciripini
- Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Xifeng Wu
- Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
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No association between mean telomere length and life stress observed in a 30 year birth cohort. PLoS One 2014; 9:e97102. [PMID: 24816913 PMCID: PMC4016252 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0097102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2014] [Accepted: 04/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are specialised structures that cap the ends of chromosomes. They shorten with each cell division and have been proposed as a marker of cellular aging. Previous studies suggest that early life stressors increase the rate of telomere shortening with potential impact on disease states and mortality later in life. This study examined the associations between telomere length and exposure to a number of stressors that arise during development from the antenatal/perinatal period through to young adulthood. Participants were from the Christchurch Health and Development Study (CHDS), a New Zealand longitudinal birth cohort which has followed participants from birth until age 30. Telomere length was obtained on DNA from peripheral blood samples collected from consenting participants (n = 677) at age 28–30, using a quantitative PCR assay. These data were assessed for associations with 26 measures of life course adversity or stress which occurred prior to 25 years of age. No associations were found between telomere length measured at age 28–30 years and life course adversity or stress for specific measures and for the summary risk scores for each developmental domain. The correlations were very small ranging from −0.06 to 0.06 with a median of 0.01, and none were statistically significant. Our results in this well-studied birth cohort do not support prior reports of such associations, and underscore the need for more extensive replication of proposed links between stress and telomere biology in larger cohorts with appropriate phenotypic data.
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Quinlan J, Tu MT, Langlois EV, Kapoor M, Ziegler D, Fahmi H, Zunzunegui MV. Protocol for a systematic review of the association between chronic stress during the life course and telomere length. Syst Rev 2014; 3:40. [PMID: 24886862 PMCID: PMC4022427 DOI: 10.1186/2046-4053-3-40] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2014] [Accepted: 04/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The effects of stress on ill health have become evident in recent years. Under acute stress situations, a cascade of physiological events helps the body mount an appropriate adaptive response. However, under chronic stress situations, this physiological response may lead to wear and tear on the body that accelerates the decline in physiological functioning and increases the risk of chronic conditions. Recent evidence for social stress experienced during childhood suggests serious consequences many years later, even later life. Telomere length, a marker of cell aging, may provide a link between chronic social stress and age-associated physical and mental decline and risk of chronic conditions. This study examines whether chronic social stress is associated with telomere length throughout the life course. METHODS/DESIGN We will perform a systematic review of the literature on the relationship between chronic social stress, for example, due to violence, extreme poverty, or caregiving of people with disabling conditions (exposure), and telomere length (outcome) by searching electronic databases in MEDLINE (PubMed interface), EMBASE (OVID interface), Cochrane Central (OVID interface) and gray literature from their start date onwards. We will limit the search to studies performed on human populations. Two reviewers will conduct standardized screening, eligibility assessment, data abstraction, and scientific quality assessment. All study designs investigating the association between chronic social stress and telomere length in healthy or diseased adults and children will be eligible for inclusion in the review. We will extract individual demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, research setting, method of measuring telomere length, reported outcome, and determinants of interest. Studies will also be stratified by 1) age into 3 groups: childhood (0 to 18 years), adulthood (19 to 64 years) and late life (65+); 2) cell type; 3) study design; and 4) telomere length assessment method. Where feasible, study results will be combined through meta-analyses to obtain a pooled measure of associations. Results will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement. DISCUSSION This systematic review will provide knowledge on the existing evidence for chronic social stress and its association with telomere lengths throughout the life course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacklyn Quinlan
- Department of Medicine, Research Centre of the University of Montreal Hospital Centre (CRCHUM), 3875 St-Urbain St, Montreal, Quebec H2W 1V1, Canada.
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Promoter polymorphism in the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene is significantly associated with leukocyte telomere length in Han Chinese. PLoS One 2014; 9:e94442. [PMID: 24710073 PMCID: PMC3978058 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2013] [Accepted: 03/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The serotonin transporter gene (5-HTT)-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) plays an important role in modulating mood and behavior by regulating 5-HTT expression and thereby controlling the concentration of serotonin (5-HT) in brain synapses: The homozygous shorter allele (S/S) in 5-HTTLPR results in lower 5-HTT expression coupled with stronger psycho-pathological reactions to stressful experiences compared to the homozygous long (L/L) and heterozygous (S/L) alleles. Psychological insults and mood disorders have been shown to cause accelerated telomere shortening, a marker of biological aging, however, it is currently unclear whether the allelic variants of 5-HTTLPR affect telomere length (TL) in the healthy population without mood disorders. In the present study, we determined the relationship between TL and the 5-HTTLPR variants in healthy Han Chinese. The 5-HTTLPR genotyping and leukocyte TL analysis of 280 young female Han Chinese freshmen showed a significantly shorter TL in 149 of them carrying the 5-HTTLPR S/S version compared to those (131) with the L/S or L/S plus L/L genotypes (mean ± SD, 0.533±0.241 for S/S vs 0.607±0.312 for L/S, P = 0.034; or vs 0.604±0.313 for L/S plus L/L, P = 0.038). Similar results were achieved in the other cohort including 220 adult healthy individuals of different age, gender and profession (0.691±0.168 for S/S vs 0.729±0.211 for L/S, P = 0.046, or vs 0.725±0.213 for L/S plus L/L, P = 0.039). Taken together, shorter leukocyte TL is significantly associated with the 5-HTTLPR S/S allelic variant, which may be implicated in psychological stress-related health problems.
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An integrative review of factors associated with telomere length and implications for biobehavioral research. Nurs Res 2014; 63:36-50. [PMID: 24335912 DOI: 10.1097/nnr.0000000000000009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although telomere shortening occurs as a natural part of aging, there is now a robust body of research that suggests that there is a relationship between psychosocial, environmental, and behavioral factors and changes in telomere length. These factors need to be considered when integrating telomere measurement in biobehavioral research studies. OBJECTIVES This article provides a brief summary of the known facts about telomere biology and an integrative review of current human research studies that assessed relationships between psychosocial, environmental, or behavioral factors and telomere length. METHODS An integrative review was conducted to examine human research studies that focused on psychosocial, environmental, and behavioral factors affecting telomere length and telomerase activity using the electronic databases PubMed/Medline and CINAHL from 2003 to the present. In addition to the known individual factors that are associated with telomere length, the results of the integrative review suggest that perceived stress, childhood adversities, major depressive disorder, educational attainment, physical activity, and sleep duration should also be measured. DISCUSSION Multiple factors have been shown to affect telomere length. To advance understanding of the role of telomere length in health and disease risk, it will be important to further elucidate the mechanisms that contribute to telomere shortening.
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Killick E, Tymrakiewicz M, Cieza-Borrella C, Smith P, Thompson DJ, Pooley KA, Easton DF, Bancroft E, Page E, Leongamornlert D, Kote-Jarai Z, Eeles RA. Telomere length shows no association with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation status. PLoS One 2014; 9:e86659. [PMID: 24489760 PMCID: PMC3906069 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2013] [Accepted: 12/11/2013] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to determine whether telomere length (TL) is a marker of cancer risk or genetic status amongst two cohorts of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers and controls. The first group was a prospective set of 665 male BRCA1/2 mutation carriers and controls (mean age 53 years), all healthy at time of enrollment and blood donation, 21 of whom have developed prostate cancer whilst on study. The second group consisted of 283 female BRCA1/2 mutation carriers and controls (mean age 48 years), half of whom had been diagnosed with breast cancer prior to enrollment. TL was quantified by qPCR from DNA extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes. Weighted and unweighted Cox regressions and linear regression analyses were used to assess whether TL was associated with BRCA1/2 mutation status or cancer risk. We found no evidence for association between developing cancer or being a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carrier and telomere length. It is the first study investigating TL in a cohort of genetically predisposed males and although TL and BRCA status was previously studied in females our results don't support the previous finding of association between hereditary breast cancer and shorter TL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Killick
- Division of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Oncogentics, Institute of Cancer Research, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Paula Smith
- Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Deborah J. Thompson
- Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Karen A. Pooley
- Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Doug F. Easton
- Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth Bancroft
- Cancer Genetics, Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth Page
- Oncogentics, Institute of Cancer Research, Surrey, United Kingdom
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Long-term unemployment is associated with short telomeres in 31-year-old men: an observational study in the northern Finland birth cohort 1966. PLoS One 2013; 8:e80094. [PMID: 24278245 PMCID: PMC3835859 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2013] [Accepted: 09/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Life stress resulting from early-life experiences and domestic stress is linked with shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL), but evidence on employment-related stress is scarce. We explored whether unemployment in early adulthood is associated with shorter LTL, a potential biomarker of premature aging. METHODS We used data from 5620 men and women belonging to the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. Individually registered unemployment days in 1995-97 were compared with data on biological, behavioral and socioeconomic health predictors and existing medical conditions obtained by surveys and clinical examinations at follow-up in 1997-98. Mean LTL at follow-up was measured by multiplex quantitative real-time PCR. We calculated odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) of belonging to the sex-stratified shortest decile of standardized relative mean LTL according to the categories of: 0, <260, <500 and over 500 unemployment days, representing 0, <1, <2 and over 2 calendar years. RESULTS Among men, unemployment exceeding 500 days during three years was associated with having shorter LTL at follow-up, compared to being continuously employed. The corresponding odds ratio was 2.61 (95% CI 1.16 to 5.85) in the fully adjusted model. Such an association was not found among women in this study. CONCLUSIONS Long-term unemployment in early adulthood is associated with shorter LTL among men.
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Basu N, Skinner HG, Litzelman K, Vanderboom R, Baichoo E, Boardman LA. Telomeres and telomere dynamics: relevance to cancers of the GI tract. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2013; 7:733-48. [PMID: 24161135 PMCID: PMC3892561 DOI: 10.1586/17474124.2013.848790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Aberrations in telomere length and telomere maintenance contribute to cancer development. In this article, we review the basic principles of telomere length in normal and tumor tissue and the presence of the two main telomere maintenance pathways as they pertain to gastrointestinal tract cancer. Peripheral blood telomeres are shorter in patients with many types of gastrointestinal tract cancers. Telomere length in tumor DNA also appears to shorten early in cancer development. Tumor telomere shortening is often accompanied by telomerase activation to protect genetically damaged DNA from normal cell senescence or apoptosis, allowing immortalized but damaged DNA to persist. Alternative lengthening of telomeres is another mechanism used by cancer to maintain telomere length in cancer cells. Telomerase and alternative lengthening of telomeres activators and inhibitors may become important chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic agents as our understanding of telomere biology, specific telomere-related phenotypes and its relationship to carcinogenesis increases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nivedita Basu
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department of Medicine Mayo Clinic 200 First Street SW Rochester, MN 55905 Tel: 507-266-4338; Fax: 507-266-0350
| | - Halcyon G. Skinner
- Department of Population Health Sciences School of Medicine and Public Health University of Wisconsin Madison, WI 53726 Tel: 608-265-4654
| | - Kristin Litzelman
- Department of Population Health Sciences School of Medicine and Public Health University of Wisconsin Madison, WI 53726 Tel: 608-265-4654
| | - Russell Vanderboom
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department of Medicine Mayo Clinic 200 First Street SW Rochester, MN 55905 Tel: 507-266-4338; Fax: 507-266-0350
| | - Esha Baichoo
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department of Medicine Mayo Clinic 200 First Street SW Rochester, MN 55905 Tel: 507-266-4338; Fax: 507-266-0350
| | - Lisa A. Boardman
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department of Medicine Mayo Clinic 200 First Street SW Rochester, MN 55905 Tel: 507-266-4338; Fax: 507-266-0350
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Mjølstad BP, Kirkengen AL, Getz L, Hetlevik I. Standardization meets stories: contrasting perspectives on the needs of frail individuals at a rehabilitation unit. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being 2013; 8:21498. [PMID: 24054352 PMCID: PMC3779788 DOI: 10.3402/qhw.v8i0.21498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Repeated encounters over time enable general practitioners (GPs) to accumulate biomedical and biographical knowledge about their patients. A growing body of evidence documenting the medical relevance of lifetime experiences indicates that health personnel ought to appraise this type of knowledge and consider how to incorporate it into their treatment of patients. In order to explore the interdisciplinary communication of such knowledge within Norwegian health care, we conducted a research project at the interface between general practice and a nursing home. METHODS In the present study, nine Norwegian GPs were each interviewed about one of their patients who had recently been admitted to a nursing home for short-term rehabilitation. A successive interview conducted with each of these patients aimed at both validating the GP's information and exploring the patient's life story. The GP's treatment opinions and the patient's biographical information and treatment preferences were condensed into a biographical record presented to the nursing home staff. The transcripts of the interviews and the institutional treatment measures were compared and analysed, applying a phenomenological-hermeneutical framework. In the present article, we compare and discuss: (1) the GPs' specific recommendations for their patients; (2) the patients' own wishes and perceived needs; and (3) if and how this information was integrated into the institution's interventions and priorities. RESULTS Each GP made rehabilitation recommendations, which included statements regarding both the patient's personality and life circumstances. The nursing home staff individualized their selection of therapeutic interventions based on defined standardized treatment approaches, without personalizing them. CONCLUSION We found that the institutional voice of medicine consistently tends to override the voice of the patient's lifeworld. Thus, despite the institution's best intentions, their efforts to provide appropriate rehabilitation seem to have been jeopardized to some extent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bente Prytz Mjølstad
- General Practice Research Unit, Department of Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway;
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Yang Z, Ye J, Li C, Zhou D, Shen Q, Wu J, Cao L, Wang T, Cui D, He S, Qi G, He L, Liu Y. Drug addiction is associated with leukocyte telomere length. Sci Rep 2013; 3:1542. [PMID: 23528991 PMCID: PMC3607895 DOI: 10.1038/srep01542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2012] [Accepted: 03/07/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are protective chromosomal structures that play a key role in preserving genomic stability. Telomere length is known to be associated with ageing and age-related diseases. To study the impairment of telomeres induced by drug abuse, we conducted an association study in the Chinese Han population. Multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate the correlation of leukocyte telomere length (LTL) with addiction control status adjusted for age and gender. The results showed that drug abusers exhibited significantly shorter LTLs than controls (P = 1.32e-06). The time before relapse also presented an inverse correlation with LTL (P = 0.02). Drug abusers who had used heroin and diazepam displayed a shorter LTL than those taking other drugs (P = 0.018 and P = 0.009, respectively). Drug abusers who had ingested drugs via snuff exhibited longer LTLs than those using other methods (P = 0.02). These observations may offer a partial explanation for the effects of drug addiction on health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoyang Yang
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
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Posttraumatic stress disorder and not depression is associated with shorter leukocyte telomere length: findings from 3,000 participants in the population-based KORA F4 study. PLoS One 2013; 8:e64762. [PMID: 23843935 PMCID: PMC3700974 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2012] [Accepted: 04/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A link between severe mental stress and shorter telomere length (TL) has been suggested. We analysed the impact of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on TL in the general population and postulated a dose-dependent TL association in subjects suffering from partial PTSD compared to full PTSD. Methods Data are derived from the population-based KORA F4 study (2006–2008), located in southern Germany including 3,000 individuals (1,449 men and 1,551 women) with valid and complete TL data. Leukocyte TL was measured using a quantitative PCR-based technique. PTSD was assessed in a structured interview and by applying the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS) and the Impact of Event Scale (IES). A total of 262 (8.7%) subjects qualified for having partial PTSD and 51 (1.7%) for full PTSD. To assess the association of PTSD with the average TL, linear regression analyses with adjustments for potential confounding factors were performed. Results The multiple model revealed a significant association between partial PTSD and TL (beta = −0.051, p = 0.009) as well as between full PTSD and shorter TL (beta = −0.103, p = 0.014) indicating shorter TL on average for partial and full PTSD. An additional adjustment for depression and depressed mood/exhaustion gave comparable beta estimations. Conclusions Participants with partial and full PTSD had significantly shorter leukocyte TL than participants without PTSD. The dose-dependent variation in TL of subjects with partial and full PTSD exceeded the chronological age effect, and was equivalent to an estimated 5 years in partial and 10 years in full PTSD of premature aging.
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Fujishiro K, Diez-Roux AV, Landsbergis PA, Jenny NS, Seeman T. Current employment status, occupational category, occupational hazard exposure and job stress in relation to telomere length: the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Occup Environ Med 2013; 70:552-60. [PMID: 23686115 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2012-101296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Telomere length has been proposed as a biomarker of cell senescence, which is associated with a wide array of adverse health outcomes. While work is a major determinant of health, few studies have investigated the association of telomere length with various dimensions of occupation. Accelerated cellular aging could be a common pathway linking occupational exposure to several health outcomes. METHODS Leukocyte telomere length was assessed using quantitative PCR in a community-based sample of 981 individuals (age: 45-84 years). Questionnaires were used to collect information on current employment status, current or main occupation before retirement and job strain. The Occupational Resource Network (O*NET) database was linked to the questionnaire data to create five exposure measures: physical activity on the job, physical hazard exposure, interpersonal stressors, job control and job demands. Linear regression was used to estimate associations of occupational characteristics with telomere lengths after adjustment for age, sex, race, socioeconomic position and several behavioural risk factors. RESULTS There were no mean differences in telomere lengths across current employment status, occupational category, job strain categories or levels of most O*NET exposure measures. There was also no evidence that being in lower status occupational categories or being exposed to higher levels of adverse physical or psychosocial exposures accelerated the association between age and telomere shortening. CONCLUSIONS Cellular aging as reflected by shorter telomeres does not appear to be an important pathway linking occupation to various health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Fujishiro
- Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluation and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226, USA.
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Wainwright NWJ, Levy S, Pico J, Luben RN, Surtees PG, Khaw KT. Social adversity experience and blood pressure control following antihypertensive medication use in a community sample of older adults. Int J Behav Med 2013; 21:456-63. [PMID: 23677855 DOI: 10.1007/s12529-013-9319-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychosocial stress is a risk factor for hypertension and has been shown to affect response to treatment for psychiatric illnesses. PURPOSE We investigate the relationship between a history of social adversity experience and blood pressure control following antihypertensive medication use. METHODS A total of 1,186 participants selected from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer-Norfolk study (531 men and 655 women, aged 42 to 80 years) had attended two health checks at which blood pressure measurements were taken; were taking antihypertensive medication at the second, but not the first health check; and had completed a questionnaire assessment of their social and psychological circumstances which included details of traumatic experiences in childhood and of adverse life events, long-term difficulties, and perceived stress in adulthood. RESULTS Experience of recent loss events in adulthood was associated with a smaller reduction in systolic blood pressure after starting hypertension treatment (β = 1.78, 95 % confidence interval 0.15-3.40, per life event), independently of age, sex, preexisting health conditions, cigarette smoking history, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and obesity. CONCLUSION Results from this study suggest that stress caused by recent losses may be associated with reduced effectiveness of treatment for hypertension. Subject to replication, these findings may help determine the specific physiological mechanisms by which medication treatment effectiveness is affected by stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas W J Wainwright
- International Health Research Group, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Strangeways Research Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Worts Causeway, Cambridge, CB1 8RN, UK,
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Parental responsiveness moderates the association between early-life stress and reduced telomere length. Dev Psychopathol 2013; 25:577-585. [PMID: 23527512 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579413000011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Early-life stress, such as maltreatment, institutionalization, and exposure to violence, is associated with accelerated telomere shortening. Telomere shortening may thus represent a biomarker of early adversity. Previous studies have suggested that responsive parenting may protect children from the negative biological and behavioral consequences of early adversity. This study examined the role of parental responsiveness in buffering children from telomere shortening following experiences of early-life stress. We found that high-risk children had significantly shorter telomeres than low-risk children, controlling for household income, birth weight, gender, and minority status. Further, parental responsiveness moderated the association between risk and telomere length, with more responsive parenting associated with longer telomeres only among high-risk children. These findings suggest that responsive parenting may have protective benefits on telomere shortening for young children exposed to early-life stress. Therefore, this study has important implications for early parenting interventions.
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Abstract
A critical question in human health is the malleability of telomere length. Telomere length, sampled at one point during adult life, is predictive of certain types of cancer and other immune and metabolic-related diseases. We now know from basic studies that the telomere/telomerase maintenance system plays a causal role in accelerating biologic aging and promoting disease processes. One can develop short telomeres for a multitude of reasons. Historical factors such as genetics, prenatal conditions, and early adversity, contribute to adult telomere length; however, current stress and lifestyle are also associated. If these modifiable predictors are causal factors in telomere shortening, there is a tremendous opportunity to improve maintenance and possibly even lengthen telomeres with behavioral interventions. This minireview discusses our current understanding of telomere lengthening and questions facing the field. Several small-scale stress reduction/wellness studies show promising findings, suggesting that cell aging can be slowed or reversed in vivo over short periods. Moreover, possible mechanisms are discussed, that take into account actual telomeric lengthening, such as that which occurs through telomerase-mediated elongation, or mechanisms resulting in "pseudo-telomeric lengthening" as might occur from changes in cell type distribution. There is a strong need for more translational clinical to bench research to address mechanistic questions in experimental models. In addition, well-designed intervention research that examines both telomeres and potential mediators of change can further enhance our understanding of malleability, mechanism, and clinical implications of telomere lengthening. Cancer Prev Res; 5(10); 1163-8. ©2012 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elissa Epel
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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Entringer S, Epel ES, Lin J, Buss C, Shahbaba B, Blackburn EH, Simhan HN, Wadhwa PD. Maternal psychosocial stress during pregnancy is associated with newborn leukocyte telomere length. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2013. [PMID: 23200710 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2012.11.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In adults, one of the major determinants of leukocyte telomere length (LTL), a predictor of age-related diseases and mortality, is cumulative psychosocial stress exposure. More recently we reported that exposure to maternal psychosocial stress during intrauterine life is associated with LTL in young adulthood. The objective of the present study was to determine how early in life this effect of stress on LTL is apparent by quantifying the association of maternal psychosocial stress during pregnancy with newborn telomere length. STUDY DESIGN In a prospective study of N = 27 mother-newborn dyads maternal pregnancy-specific stress was assessed in early gestation and cord blood peripheral blood mononuclear cells were subsequently collected and analyzed for LTL measurement. RESULTS After accounting for the effects of potential determinants of newborn LTL (gestational age at birth, weight, sex, and exposure to antepartum obstetric complications), there was a significant, independent, linear effect of pregnancy-specific stress on newborn LTL that accounted for 25% of the variance in adjusted LTL (β = -0.099; P = .04). CONCLUSION Our finding provides the first preliminary evidence in human beings that maternal psychological stress during pregnancy may exert a "programming" effect on the developing telomere biology system that is already apparent at birth, as reflected by the setting of newborn LTL.
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Telomeres and early-life stress: an overview. Biol Psychiatry 2013; 73:15-23. [PMID: 22831981 PMCID: PMC3495091 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 232] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2012] [Revised: 06/26/2012] [Accepted: 06/26/2012] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The long-term sequelae of adverse early-life experiences have long been a focus in psychiatry, with a historic neurobiological emphasis on physiological systems that are demonstrably stress-responsive, such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and neuroimmune function. However, there has been increasing recognition in the general medical literature that such sequelae might encompass more pervasive alterations in health status and physiology. Recent findings in telomere biology have suggested a new avenue for exploring the adverse health effects of childhood maltreatment. Telomere length in proliferative tissues declines with cell replication and the effect can be accelerated by such factors as inflammation, oxidative stress, radiation, and toxins. Reduced telomere length, as a proxy for cellular aging, has been associated with numerous chronic somatic diseases that are generally considered to be diseases of aging, such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. More recently, shorter telomeres have been demonstrated in several psychiatric conditions, particularly depression. Sustained psychosocial stress of a variety of types in adulthood appears to be associated with shorter telomeres. Now, emerging work suggests a robust, and perhaps dose-dependent, relationship with early-life stress. These findings present new opportunities to reconceptualize the complex relationships between experience, physical and psychiatric disease, and aging.
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Zohar AH, Cloninger CR, McCraty R. Personality and Heart Rate Variability: Exploring Pathways from Personality to Cardiac Coherence and Health. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.4236/jss.2013.16007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Robertson T, Batty GD, Der G, Fenton C, Shiels PG, Benzeval M. Is socioeconomic status associated with biological aging as measured by telomere length? Epidemiol Rev 2012; 35:98-111. [PMID: 23258416 PMCID: PMC3578449 DOI: 10.1093/epirev/mxs001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/10/2012] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been hypothesized that one way in which lower socioeconomic status (SES) affects health is by increasing the rate of biological aging. A widely used marker of biological aging is telomere length. Telomeres are structures at the ends of chromosomes that erode with increasing cell proliferation and genetic damage. We aimed to identify, through systematic review and meta-analysis, whether lower SES (greater deprivation) is associated with shorter telomeres. Thirty-one articles, including 29 study populations, were identified. We conducted 3 meta-analyses to compare the telomere lengths of persons of high and low SES with regard to contemporaneous SES (12 study populations from 10 individual articles), education (15 study populations from 14 articles), and childhood SES (2 study populations from 2 articles). For education, there was a significant difference in telomere length between persons of high and low SES in a random-effects model (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.060, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.002, 0.118; P = 0.042), although a range of sensitivity analyses weakened this association. There was no evidence for an association between telomere length and contemporaneous SES (SMD = 0.104, 95% CI: −0.027, 0.236; P = 0.119) or childhood SES (SMD = −0.037, 95% CI: −0.143, 0.069; P = 0.491). These results suggest weak evidence for an association between SES (as measured by education) and biological aging (as measured by telomere length), although there was a lack of consistent findings across the SES measures investigated here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony Robertson
- Correspondence to Dr. Tony Robertson, MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, 4 Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow G12 8RZ, United Kingdom (e-mail: )
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O'Donovan A, Slavich GM, Epel ES, Neylan TC. Exaggerated neurobiological sensitivity to threat as a mechanism linking anxiety with increased risk for diseases of aging. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2012; 37:96-108. [PMID: 23127296 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2012.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2012] [Revised: 10/19/2012] [Accepted: 10/28/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders increase risk for the early development of several diseases of aging. Elevated inflammation, a common risk factor across diseases of aging, may play a key role in the relationship between anxiety and physical disease. However, the neurobiological mechanisms linking anxiety with elevated inflammation remain unclear. In this review, we present a neurobiological model of the mechanisms by which anxiety promotes inflammation. Specifically we propose that exaggerated neurobiological sensitivity to threat in anxious individuals may lead to sustained threat perception, which is accompanied by prolonged activation of threat-related neural circuitry and threat-responsive biological systems including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, autonomic nervous system (ANS), and inflammatory response. Over time, this pattern of responding can promote chronic inflammation through structural and functional brain changes, altered sensitivity of immune cell receptors, dysregulation of the HPA axis and ANS, and accelerated cellular aging. Chronic inflammation, in turn, increases risk for diseases of aging. Exaggerated neurobiological sensitivity to threat may thus be a treatment target for reducing disease risk in anxious individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aoife O'Donovan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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Puterman E, Epel E. An intricate dance: Life experience, multisystem resiliency, and rate of telomere decline throughout the lifespan. SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY COMPASS 2012; 6:807-825. [PMID: 23162608 PMCID: PMC3496269 DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-9004.2012.00465.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Accumulation of life stressors predicts accelerated development and progression of diseases of aging. Telomere length, the DNA-based biomarker indicating cellular aging, is a mechanism of disease development, and is shortened in a dose response fashion by duration and severity of life stressor exposures. Telomere length captures the interplay between genetics, life experiences and psychosocial and behavioral factors. Over the past several years, psychological stress resilience, healthy lifestyle factors, and social connections have been associated with longer telomere length and it appears that these factors can protect individuals from stress-induced telomere shortening. In the current review, we highlight these findings, and illustrate that combining these `multisystem resiliency' factors may strengthen our understanding of aging, as these powerful factors are often neglected in studies of aging. In naturalistic studies, the effects of chronic stress exposure on biological pathways are rarely main effects, but rather a complex interplay between adversity and resiliency factors. We suggest that chronic stress effects can be best understood by directly testing if the deleterious effects of stress on biological aging processes, in this case the cell allostasis measure of telomere shortening, are mitigated in individuals with high levels of multisystem resiliency. Without attending to such interactions, stress effects are often masked and missed. Taking account of the cluster of positive buffering factors that operate across the lifespan will take us a step further in understanding healthy aging. While these ideas are applied to the telomere length literature for illustration, the concept of multisystem resiliency might apply to aging broadly, from cellular to systemic health.
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Shaffer JA, Epel E, Kang MS, Ye S, Schwartz JE, Davidson KW, Kirkland S, Honig LS, Shimbo D. Depressive symptoms are not associated with leukocyte telomere length: findings from the Nova Scotia Health Survey (NSHS95), a population-based study. PLoS One 2012; 7:e48318. [PMID: 23133583 PMCID: PMC3485011 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0048318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2012] [Accepted: 09/24/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Premature shortening of leukocyte telomere length has been proposed as a novel mechanism by which depression may confer increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events. Prior studies demonstrating associations of depression and depressive symptoms with shorter leukocyte telomere length were small, included selected psychiatric outpatients, were based on convenience samples, and/or adjusted for a limited number of possible confounding factors. Methods and Findings We examined the associations of depressive symptoms, probable depressive disorder, and specific depressive symptom clusters, as assessed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies—Depression (CES-D) scale, with leukocyte telomere length, measured by using a real-time PCR method, in 2,225 apparently healthy participants from the 1995 Nova Scotia Health Survey population-based study. The mean age was 48.2±18.9 years; 49.9% of participants were female; and the mean CES-D score was 7.4±7.9. The mean telomere length was 5,301±587 base pairs. In an unadjusted model, depressive symptoms were significantly associated with longer leukocyte telomere length (B = 27.6 base pairs per standard deviation increase in CES-D, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.1–52.1, p = 0.027). This association was no longer significant after adjustment for age and sex (B = 9.5, 95% CI = −14.6–33.6, p = 0.44) or after further adjustment for body mass index, Framingham risk score and previous history of ischemic heart disease (all p's≥0.37). Neither probable depressive disorder nor specific depressive symptom clusters were independently associated with leukocyte telomere length. Conclusions Concurrent depressive symptoms were not associated with leukocyte telomere length in a large, representative, population-based study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan A. Shaffer
- Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Elissa Epel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Min Suk Kang
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Siqin Ye
- Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Joseph E. Schwartz
- Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
| | - Karina W. Davidson
- Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Susan Kirkland
- Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Lawrence S. Honig
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Daichi Shimbo
- Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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75
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth H Blackburn
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, USA.
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76
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Robertson T, Batty GD, Der G, Green MJ, McGlynn LM, McIntyre A, Shiels PG, Benzeval M. Is telomere length socially patterned? Evidence from the West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study. PLoS One 2012; 7:e41805. [PMID: 22844525 PMCID: PMC3402400 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0041805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2011] [Accepted: 06/29/2012] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Lower socioeconomic status (SES) is strongly associated with an increased risk of morbidity and premature mortality, but it is not known if the same is true for telomere length, a marker often used to assess biological ageing. The West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study was used to investigate this and consists of three cohorts aged approximately 35 (N = 775), 55 (N = 866) and 75 years (N = 544) at the time of telomere length measurement. Four sets of measurements of SES were investigated: those collected contemporaneously with telomere length assessment, educational markers, SES in childhood and SES over the preceding twenty years. We found mixed evidence for an association between SES and telomere length. In 35-year-olds, many of the education and childhood SES measures were associated with telomere length, i.e. those in poorer circumstances had shorter telomeres, as was intergenerational social mobility, but not accumulated disadvantage. A crude estimate showed that, at the same chronological age, social renters, for example, were nine years (biologically) older than home owners. No consistent associations were apparent in those aged 55 or 75. There is evidence of an association between SES and telomere length, but only in younger adults and most strongly using education and childhood SES measures. These results may reflect that childhood is a sensitive period for telomere attrition. The cohort differences are possibly the result of survival bias suppressing the SES-telomere association; cohort effects with regard different experiences of SES; or telomere possibly being a less effective marker of biological ageing at older ages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony Robertson
- Medical Research Council's Social & Public Health Sciences Unit, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
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Okereke OI, Prescott J, Wong JYY, Han J, Rexrode KM, De Vivo I. High phobic anxiety is related to lower leukocyte telomere length in women. PLoS One 2012; 7:e40516. [PMID: 22808180 PMCID: PMC3394740 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0040516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2012] [Accepted: 06/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chronic psychological distress has been linked to shorter telomeres, an indication of accelerated aging. Yet, little is known about relations of anxiety to telomeres. We examined whether a typically chronic form of anxiety – phobic anxiety – is related to telomere length. Methodology/Principal Findings Relative telomere lengths (RTLs) in peripheral blood leukocytes were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction among 5,243 women (aged 42–69 years) who: were participants in the Nurses' Health Study; were controls in prior case-control studies of telomeres and disease, or randomly selected healthy participants in a cognitive function sub-study; had completed the Crown-Crisp phobic index proximal to blood collection. Adjusted least-squares mean RTLs (z-scores) were calculated across phobic categories. Higher phobic anxiety was generally associated with lower RTLs (age-adjusted p-trend = 0.09); this association was similar after adjustment for confounders – paternal age-at-birth, smoking, body mass index (BMI) and physical activity (p-trend = 0.15). Notably, a threshold was identified. Among women with Crown-Crisp<6 points, the multivariable-adjusted least-squares mean RTL z-score = 0.02 standard units; however, among the most phobic women (Crown-Crisp≥6), the multivariable-adjusted least-squares mean RTL z-score = −0.09 standard units (mean difference = −0.10 standard units; p = 0.02). The magnitude of this difference was comparable to that for women 6 years apart in age. Finally, effect modification by BMI, smoking and paternal age was observed: associations were stronger among highly phobic women with BMI≥25 kg/m2, without smoking history, or born to fathers aged ≥40 years. Conclusions/Significance In this large, cross-sectional study high phobic anxiety was associated with shorter telomeres. These results point toward prospective investigations relating anxiety to telomere length change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia I Okereke
- Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
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Needham BL, Fernandez JR, Lin J, Epel ES, Blackburn EH. Socioeconomic status and cell aging in children. Soc Sci Med 2012; 74:1948-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2011] [Revised: 02/07/2012] [Accepted: 02/22/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Surtees PG, Wainwright NWJ, Pooley KA, Luben RN, Khaw KT, Easton DF, Dunning AM. Educational attainment and mean leukocyte telomere length in women in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC)-Norfolk population study. Brain Behav Immun 2012; 26:414-8. [PMID: 22178899 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2011.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2011] [Revised: 11/07/2011] [Accepted: 11/08/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomere length has been postulated as a marker of biological aging. Recent evidence has suggested that educational attainment but not social class is associated with telemore length. METHODS We investigated the associations between educational attainment, social class and relative mean telomere length in an ethnically homogeneous population of 4441 women, aged 41-80 years. Mean telomere length was measured using high-throughput quantitative Real Time PCR. RESULTS Educational attainment (p=0.015) but not social class (p=0.61) was associated with mean telomere length in these data. This association was independent of social class and of systolic blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, cigarette smoking, body mass index, glycated hemoglobin, plasma vitamin C and physical activity (p=0.014), and was not attenuated through additional adjustment for measures of social adversity, including those experienced during childhood (p=0.006). CONCLUSIONS Our results, at least for women, provide support for the findings previously reported in this journal that lower educational attainment, but not social class, is associated with shorter telomere length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul G Surtees
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Strangeways Research Laboratory, Worts Causeway, Cambridge CB1 8RN, UK.
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Lin J, Epel E, Blackburn E. Telomeres and lifestyle factors: roles in cellular aging. Mutat Res 2011; 730:85-9. [PMID: 21878343 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2011.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2011] [Revised: 08/04/2011] [Accepted: 08/16/2011] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Recent research has demonstrated that telomere maintenance might be a key integrating point for the cumulative effects of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors on aging and aging-related diseases. It is timely to 'take stock' of where this work has led the field. This review summarizes studies that have examined associations between lifestyle factors and telomere length and telomerase activity. In most of the studies described in this chapter, telomere length was measured in leukocytes (LTL) or peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), taken from blood draws from the study subjects. Much of this chapter focuses on psychological stress, a widespread factor often intimately tied in with lifestyle or behavioral factors that in turn are related to risks of clinical diseases. Together, these findings suggest that cellular aging is linked to a range of influences, with an individual's life events and lifestyle parameters playing significant roles. Lastly, we propose possible biochemical mechanisms that mediate these associations and discuss future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jue Lin
- University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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