1
|
Souza-Talarico JN, Chesak S, Elizalde N, Liu W, Moon C, Oberfrank NDCF, Rauer AJ, Takao CL, Shaw C, Saravanan A, Longhi Palacio FG, Buck H. Exploring the interplay of psychological and biological components of stress response and telomere length in the transition from middle age to late adulthood: A systematic review. Stress Health 2024; 40:e3389. [PMID: 38442010 DOI: 10.1002/smi.3389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Ageing and chronic stress have been linked to reduced telomere length (TL) in mixed-age groups. Whether stress response components are linked to TL during the midlife-to-late adulthood transition remains unclear. Our study aimed to synthesise evidence on the relationship between psychological and biological components of stress response on TL in middle-aged and older adults. We conducted a systematic review of studies obtained from six databases (PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus) and evaluated by two independent reviewers. Original research measuring psychological and biological components of stress response and TL in human individuals were included. From an initial pool of 614 studies, 15 were included (n = 9446 participants). Synthesis of evidence showed that higher psychological components of the stress response (i.e., global perceived stress or within a specific life domain and cognitive appraisal to social-evaluative stressors) were linked to shorter TL, specifically in women or under major life stressors. For the biological stress response, cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate and IGF-1/cortisol imbalance, IL-6, MCP-1, blood pressure, and heart rate presented a significant association with TL, but this relationship depended on major life stressors and the stress context (manipulated vs. non-manipulated conditions). This comprehensive review showed that psychological and biological components of the stress response are linked to shorter TL, but mainly in women or those under a major life stressor and stress-induced conditions. The interaction between stressor attributes and psychological and biological reactions in the transition from middle to late adulthood still needs to be fully understood, and examining it is a critical step to expanding our understanding of stress's impact on ageing trajectories.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Nery Souza-Talarico
- College of Nursing, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- School of Nursing, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sherry Chesak
- Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Natalie Elizalde
- College of Nursing, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Wen Liu
- College of Nursing, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Chooza Moon
- College of Nursing, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | | | - Amy Joanna Rauer
- Department of Child and Family Studies, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | | | - Clarissa Shaw
- College of Nursing, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Anitha Saravanan
- School of Nursing, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Harleah Buck
- College of Nursing, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Bourassa KJ, Sbarra DA. Trauma, adversity, and biological aging: behavioral mechanisms relevant to treatment and theory. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:285. [PMID: 38997260 PMCID: PMC11245531 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-03004-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Although stress and adversity are largely universal experiences, people exposed to greater hardship are at increased risk for negative health consequences. Recent studies identify accelerated biological aging as a mechanism that could explain how trauma and adversity gives rise to poor health, and advances in this area of study coincide with technological innovations in the measurement of biological aging, particularly epigenetic profiles consistent with accelerated aging derived from DNA methylation. In this review, we provide an overview of the current literature examining how adversity might accelerate biological aging, with a specific focus on social and health behaviors. The most extensive evidence in this area suggests that health-compromising behaviors, particularly smoking, may partially explain the association between adversity and accelerated aging. Although there is relatively less published support for the role of social behaviors, emerging evidence points to the importance of social connection as a mechanism for future study. Our review highlights the need to determine the extent to which the associations from adversity to accelerated aging are consistent with causal processes. As we consider these questions, the review emphasizes methodological approaches from the causal inference literature that can help deepen our understanding of how stress and trauma might result in poor health. The use of these methodologies will help provide evidence as to which behavioral interventions might slow aging and improve health, particularly among populations that more often experience adversity and trauma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kyle J Bourassa
- VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Durham VA Health Care System, Durham, NC, USA.
- Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Durham Veteran Affairs (VA) Health Care System, Durham, NC, USA.
- Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - David A Sbarra
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Butts B, Hope C, Herring C, Mueller K, Gary RA. The Effects of Exercise on Telomere Length in Persons With Heart Failure. J Cardiovasc Nurs 2024; 39:E86-E92. [PMID: 37801568 PMCID: PMC10997734 DOI: 10.1097/jcn.0000000000001044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomere length is reduced in persons with heart failure (HF). Inflammation is a putative mechanism contributing to telomere shortening. Although physical activity is known to increase telomere length, its effects in HF are unknown. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine the effects of exercise on telomere length and its relationship with interleukin (IL)-1β in persons with HF. METHODS This secondary analysis of a 3-month home-based aerobic exercise intervention measured total telomere length and IL-1β levels in persons with HF (69% with reduced ejection fraction). RESULTS Total telomere length increased and plasma IL-1β levels decreased in the exercise group from baseline to 3 months. Total telomere length was negatively associated with IL-1β at baseline ( r = -0.441 P = .001). CONCLUSIONS The association between telomere length and IL-1β suggests a relationship between inflammation and cellular aging. Moderate-intensity exercise may help maintain cellular functions. Further research is needed to examine the effects on outcomes in persons with HF.
Collapse
|
4
|
Frydrychová RČ, Konopová B, Peska V, Brejcha M, Sábová M. Telomeres and telomerase: active but complex players in life-history decisions. Biogerontology 2024; 25:205-226. [PMID: 37610666 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-023-10060-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Studies on human telomeres have established that telomeres exert a significant influence on lifespan and health of organisms. However, recent research has indicated that the original idea that telomeres affect lifespan in a universal and central manner across all eukaryotic species is an oversimplification. Indeed, findings from a variety of animal species revealed that the role of telomere biology in aging is more subtle and intricate than previously recognized. Here, we show how telomere biology varies depending on the taxon. We also show how telomere biology corresponds to basic life history traits and affects the life table of a species and investments in growth, body size, reproduction, and lifespan; telomeres are hypothesized to shape evolutionary perspectives for species in an active but complex manner. Our evaluation is based on telomere biology data from many examples from throughout the animal kingdom that vary according to the degree of organismal complexity and life history strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Radmila Čapková Frydrychová
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Barbora Konopová
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Vratislav Peska
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 612 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miloslav Brejcha
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Michala Sábová
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ebert T, Berkessel JB, Jonsson T. Political Person-Culture Match and Longevity: The Partisanship-Mortality Link Depends on the Cultural Context. Psychol Sci 2023; 34:1192-1205. [PMID: 37874332 DOI: 10.1177/09567976231196145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies demonstrate that Republicans live longer than Democrats. We examined whether these longevity benefits are universal or culturally varying. Following a person-culture match perspective, we hypothesized that Republicans' longevity benefits occur in Republican, but not in Democratic, states. To test this argument, we conducted two studies among U.S. adults. In preregistered Study 1, we used large survey data (extended U.S. General Social Survey; N = 42,855). In confirmatory Study 2, we analyzed obituaries/biographies of deceased U.S. political partisans (novel data web-scraped from an online cemetery; N = 9,177). Both studies supported the person-culture match perspective with substantial effect sizes. In Republican contexts, up to 50.1% of all Republicans but only 36.3% of all Democrats reached an age of 80 years. In Democratic contexts, there was no such longevity gap. Robustness tests showed that this effect generalizes to political ideology and holds across spatial levels but is limited to persons with strong political convictions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Ebert
- Institute of Behavioral Science and Technology, University of St. Gallen
| | - Jana B Berkessel
- Mannheim Centre for European Social Research, University of Mannheim
| | - Thorsteinn Jonsson
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Houminer-Klepar N, Bord S, Epel E, Baron-Epel O. Are pregnancy and parity associated with telomere length? A systematic review. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2023; 23:733. [PMID: 37848852 PMCID: PMC10583451 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-023-06011-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Women's reproduction requires increased energy demands, which consequently may lead to cellular damage and aging. Hence, Telomere Length (TL), a biomarker of biological aging and health status may possibly serve as a biomarker of reproductive effort. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate telomere dynamics throughout pregnancy and the association between parity and TL. METHODS A systematic search was conducted across seven databases including CINAHL, Cochrane, PsycINFO, Proquest, PubMed; Scopus; and Web of Science, using keywords and MeSH descriptors of parity and TL. Predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to screen abstracts and titles. After the removal of duplicates, 3431 articles were included in the primary screening, narrowed to 194 articles included in the full-text screening. Consensus was reached for the 14 studies that were included in the final review, and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) was utilized to assess the quality of the selected studies. A mini meta-analysis utilized JASP 0.17.3 software and included 4 applicable studies, comprising a total of 2564 participants to quantitatively assess the estimated effect size of parity on TL. RESULTS Of the 11 studies reviewed on parity and TL, four demonstrated a negative correlation; one - a positive correlation and six -found no correlation. Studies demonstrating a negative correlation encompassed rigorous methodological practices possibly suggesting having more children is associated with enhanced telomere attrition. Of the four longitudinal studies assessing telomere dynamics throughout pregnancy, most found no change in TL from early pregnancy to postpartum suggesting pregnancy does not affect TL from early pregnancy to early postpartum. The meta-analysis revealed a negative, yet, non-significant effect, of the estimated effect size of parity on TL(ES = -0.009, p = 0.126, CI -0.021, 0.03). CONCLUSIONS Studies assessing pregnancy, parity and TL yielded mixed results, most likely due to the different research methods utilized in each study. Improvements in study design to better understand the short-term effects of pregnancy on TL and the effect of parity on TL over time, include precise definitions of parity, comparisons of different age groups, inclusion of reproductive lifespan and statistically adjusting for potential confounders in the parity and TL relationship.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nourit Houminer-Klepar
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, 31905, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Shiran Bord
- Health Systems Management Department, The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, 1930600, Yezreel Valley, Israel
| | - Elissa Epel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, 675 18th St, San Francisco, CA, 94107, USA
| | - Orna Baron-Epel
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, 31905, Haifa, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sumner JA, Gao X, Gambazza S, Dye CK, Colich NL, Baccarelli AA, Uddin M, McLaughlin KA. Stressful life events and accelerated biological aging over time in youths. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 151:106058. [PMID: 36827906 PMCID: PMC10364461 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2023]
Abstract
Experiencing adversity in childhood and adolescence, including stressful life events (SLEs), may accelerate the pace of development, leading to adverse mental and physical health. However, most research on adverse early experiences and biological aging (BA) in youths relies on cross-sectional designs. In 171 youths followed for approximately 2 years, we examined if SLEs over follow-up predicted rate of change in two BA metrics: epigenetic age and Tanner stage. We also investigated if rate of change in BA was associated with changes in depressive symptoms over time. Youths aged 8-16 years at baseline self-reported Tanner stage and depressive symptoms at baseline and follow-up and provided saliva samples for DNA at both assessments. Horvath epigenetic age estimates were derived from DNA methylation data measured with the Illumina EPIC array. At follow-up, contextual threat interviews were administered to youths and caregivers to assess youths' experiences of past-year SLEs. Interviews were objectively coded by an independent rating team to generate a SLE impact score, reflecting the severity of all SLEs occurring over the prior year. Rate of change in BA metrics was operationalized as change in epigenetic age or Tanner stage as a function of time between assessments. Higher objective SLE impact scores over follow-up were related to a greater rate of change in epigenetic age (β = 0.21, p = .043). Additionally, among youths with lower-but not higher-Tanner stage at baseline, there was a positive association of SLE impact scores with rate of change in Tanner stage (Baseline Tanner Stage × SLE Impact Score interaction: β = - 0.21, p = .011). A greater rate of change in epigenetic age was also associated with higher depressive symptom levels at follow-up, adjusting for baseline symptoms (β = 0.15, p = .043). Associations with epigenetic age were similar, although slightly attenuated, when adjusting for epithelial (buccal) cell proportions. Whereas much research in youths has focused on severe experiences of early adversity, we demonstrate that more commonly experienced SLEs during adolescence may also contribute to accelerated BA. Further research is needed to understand the long-term consequences of changes in BA metrics for health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Sumner
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Psychology Building 1285, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Xu Gao
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, Peking University, Xueyuan Rd. 38, Haidian District, Beijing, China; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W. 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Simone Gambazza
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, via Celoria 22, 20133 Milan, Italy; Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Healthcare Professions Department, via Francesco Sforza, 35, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Christian K Dye
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W. 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Natalie L Colich
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, William James Hall, 1270, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Andrea A Baccarelli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W. 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Monica Uddin
- Genomics Program, University of South Florida, College of Public Health, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Katie A McLaughlin
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, William James Hall, 1270, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Liu S, Nong W, Ji L, Zhuge X, Wei H, Luo M, Zhou L, Chen S, Zhang S, Lei X, Huang H. The regulatory feedback of inflammatory signaling and telomere/telomerase complex dysfunction in chronic inflammatory diseases. Exp Gerontol 2023; 174:112132. [PMID: 36849001 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2023.112132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
Inflammation is believed to play a role in the progression of numerous human diseases. Research has shown that inflammation and telomeres are involved in a feedback regulatory loop: inflammation increases the rate of telomere attrition, leading to telomere dysfunction, while telomere components also participate in regulating the inflammatory response. However, the specific mechanism behind this feedback loop between inflammatory signaling and telomere/telomerase complex dysfunction has yet to be fully understood. This review presents the latest findings on this topic, with a particular focus on the detailed regulation and molecular mechanisms involved in the progression of aging, various chronic inflammatory diseases, cancers, and different stressors. Several feedback loops between inflammatory signaling and telomere/telomerase complex dysfunction, including NF-κB-TERT feedback, NF-κB-RAP1 feedback, NF-κB-TERC feedback, STAT3-TERT feedback, and p38 MAPK-shelterin complex-related gene feedback, are summarized. Understanding the latest discoveries of this feedback regulatory loop can help identify novel potential drug targets for the suppression of various inflammation-associated diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shun Liu
- Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
| | - Weihua Nong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533300, China
| | - Lin Ji
- Reproductive Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 530021 Nanning, China
| | - Xiuhong Zhuge
- Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi 541001, China
| | - Huimei Wei
- Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi 541001, China
| | - Min Luo
- Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
| | - Leguang Zhou
- Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
| | - Shenghua Chen
- Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China.
| | - Shun Zhang
- Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi 541001, China.
| | - Xiaocan Lei
- Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China.
| | - Hua Huang
- Reproductive Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 530021 Nanning, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Characteristics of salivary telomere length shortening in preterm infants. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280184. [PMID: 36649354 PMCID: PMC9844854 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the association between gestational age, telomere length (TL) and rate of shortening in newborns. STUDY DESIGN Genomic DNA was isolated from buccal samples of 39 term infants at birth and one year and 32 preterm infants at birth, term-adjusted age (40 weeks post-conception) and age one-year corrected for gestational duration. Telomere length was measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Demographic and clinical data were collected during clinic or research visits and from hospital records. Socioeconomic status was estimated using the deprivation category (DEPCAT) scores derived from the Carstairs score of the subject's postal code. RESULTS At birth, preterm infants had longer telomeres than infants born at term. However, there was no difference in telomere length between preterm infants and term infants at one year of age, implying that the rate of telomere shortening was greater in pre-term than term infants. Interestingly, TL at age 40 weeks post-conception in preterm infants was significantly longer than term infant TL at birth, suggesting that time since conception is not the only factor that affects rate of shortening. Several factors, including sex, fetal growth restriction, maternal age, maternal booking body mass index (BMI), mother education level and DEPCAT score, also differed between the preterm and term groups. CONCLUSIONS Preterm infants have longer telomeres than term infants at birth. In the studied cohort, the rate of telomere shortening was greater in the premature group compared with the term infants. This finding agrees with previous studies using cord blood, suggesting that the longer TL in premature infants detected at birth do not persist and demonstrating that use of saliva DNA is acceptable for studies of telomere dynamics in infants. However, that the TL at age 40 weeks post-conception in preterm is longer than term infants at birth suggests that biological factors other than time since conception also affect rate of shortening.
Collapse
|
10
|
Schutte N, Malouff JM. The association between optimism and telomere length: A meta-analysis. THE JOURNAL OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2020.1832249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Schutte
- Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia
| | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Snyder-Mackler N, Snyder-Mackler L. Holistic Rehabilitation: Biological Embedding of Social Adversity and Its Health Implications. Phys Ther 2022; 102:pzab245. [PMID: 34718801 PMCID: PMC8754369 DOI: 10.1093/ptj/pzab245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Human health is affected by lived experiences, both past and present. The environments we encounter throughout our lives, therefore, shape how we respond to new challenges, how we maintain a healthy immune system, and even how we respond to treatment and rehabilitation. Early in life and throughout adulthood, social experiences-such as exposure to various forms of adversity-can alter how cells in our body function, with far-reaching consequences for human health, disease, and treatment. This Perspective highlights studies from an ever-growing body of literature on the social determinants of health, with a focus on exposure to social adversities, such as social isolation, discrimination, or low social status, experienced both early in life and adulthood and how they variably impact health. By focusing on recent observational studies in humans and experimental studies on social nonhuman animals, this article details how social adversity can become biologically embedded in our cells at the molecular level. Given that humans are social animals, it is no surprise that social adversity can negatively impact our health, and experimental animal studies have helped us to uncover some of the causal mechanistic pathways underlying the link between social adversity and health outcomes. These molecular consequences can have far-reaching implications and, when combined with our growing knowledge on the social determinants of health, should inform how we approach treatment and rehabilitation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noah Snyder-Mackler
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- School for Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Lynn Snyder-Mackler
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Wilmington, Delaware, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Lin J, Epel E. Stress and telomere shortening: Insights from cellular mechanisms. Ageing Res Rev 2022; 73:101507. [PMID: 34736994 PMCID: PMC8920518 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 65.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Short telomeres confer risk of degenerative diseases. Chronic psychological stress can lead to disease through many pathways, and research from in vitro studies to human longitudinal studies has pointed to stress-induced telomere damage as an important pathway. However, there has not been a comprehensive model to describe how changes in stress physiology and neuroendocrine pathways can lead to changes in telomere biology. Critically short telomeres or the collapse of the telomere structure caused by displacement of telomere binding protein complex shelterin elicit a DNA damage response and lead to senescence or apoptosis. In this narrative review, we summarize the key roles glucocorticoids, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondria, and inflammation play in mediating the relationship between psychological stress and telomere maintenance. We emphasis that these mediators are interconnected and reinforce each other in positive feedback loops. Telomere length has not been studied across the lifespan yet, but the initial setting point at birth appears to be the most influential point, as it sets the lifetime trajectory, and is influenced by stress. We describe two types of intergenerational stress effects on telomeres - prenatal stress effects on telomeres during fetal development, and 'telotype transmission" -the directly inherited transmission of short telomeres from parental germline. It is clear that the initial simplistic view of telomere length as a mitotic clock has evolved into a far more complex picture of both transgenerational telomere influences, and of interconnected molecular and cellular pathways and networks, as hallmarks of aging where telomere maintenance is a key player interacting with mitochondria. Further mechanistic investigations testing this comprehensive model of stress mediators shaping telomere biology and the telomere-mitochondrial nexus will lead to better understanding from cell to human lifespan aging, and could lead to anti-aging interventions.
Collapse
|
13
|
Bellingtier JA, Mund M, Wrzus C. The role of extraversion and neuroticism for experiencing stress during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021; 42:1-11. [PMID: 34903948 PMCID: PMC8655714 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-021-02600-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Although long postulated, it has been scarcely researched how personality traits play out differently in distinct situations. We examined if Neuroticism and Extraversion, personality traits known to moderate stress processes, function differently in highly stressful situations requiring reduced social contact, that is, the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on past findings, we expected neuroticism to be associated with exacerbated perceptions of stress. In contrast to past findings, we expected extraversion, which usually ameliorates stress, to be associated with intensified perceptions of stress, especially in regard to the sociability facet. During the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, one-hundred-thirty adults (age M = 21.7 years) reported on their personality traits including their facets with the BFI-2, COVID-19-related stressors, and their perceived stress during the last month (using the PSS). Findings indicated that neuroticism was associated with higher perceived stress regardless of the COVID-19-related stressors experienced. Facet level analysis revealed differences for anxiety, depression, and volatility. Importantly, trait extraversion was unassociated with stress experiences, whereas specifically the facet of sociability was associated with higher perceived stress. Also, the facets of assertiveness and energy both moderated the relationship between COVID-19-related stressors and perceived stress. In line with the transactional theory of stress, our findings indicate that perceptions of stress were best understood by looking at the interaction of environmental stressors and personality differences. Furthermore, the study substantiates that facets of personality traits offer unique information beyond broad traits in specific contexts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A. Bellingtier
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Steiger 3, Haus 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Marcus Mund
- Department of Psychological Assessment and Personality Psychology, University of Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt, Austria
| | - Cornelia Wrzus
- Department of Psychological Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Lahav Y, Avidor S, Levy D, Ohry A, Zeilig G, Lahav M, Golander H, Chacham-Guber A, Uziel O, Defrin R. Shorter telomeres among individuals with physical disability: The moderating role of perceived stress. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2021; 77:1384-1393. [PMID: 34687310 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbab200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Evidence suggests that individuals with physical disability may suffer from psychological distress and accelerated cellular aging, manifested by shortened telomere length (TL), compared with healthy individuals. Studies indicate that high levels of perceived stress and depression may increase the physiological susceptibility and thus, may contribute to a short TL. However, the moderating role of perceived stress and depression within the relationship between physical disability and TL remains unknown. METHODS The participants consisted of 119 male subjects (mean age 54.36 years, range 35-70). Of them, 30 were able-bodied and 86 had a physical disability: 34 were due to Poliomyelitis (polio) and 55 were due to spinal cord injury (SCI). Blood samples for TL analysis were collected; the participants completed questionnaires and underwent disability evaluation. RESULTS Participants with disability had a shorter TL as well as elevated levels of perceived stress and depression compared with able-bodied controls. Both the perceived stress and depression were correlated with a shorter TL. Nonetheless, perceived stress, rather than depression, moderated the relationship between disability and TL; among participants with higher perceived stress levels, in particular, individuals with physical disability had a shorter TL than the able-bodied controls. DISCUSSION The present findings suggest that individuals with physical disability and who exhibit high levels of perceived stress may be particularly vulnerable for accelerated cellular aging, suggesting that perceived stress can be used as a valuable target for intervention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yael Lahav
- Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University
| | - Sharon Avidor
- Faculty of Social and Community Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center
| | - David Levy
- Department of nursing, School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University
| | - Avi Ohry
- Section of Rehabilitation Medicine, Reuth Medical and Rehabilitation Center, Tel Aviv.,Department of Rehabilitation, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University
| | - Gabi Zeilig
- Department of Neurological Rehabilitation, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer.,Department of Rehabilitation, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University
| | - Meir Lahav
- The Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center and Tel Aviv University, Petah-Tikva
| | - Hava Golander
- Department of nursing, School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University
| | | | - Orit Uziel
- The Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center and Tel Aviv University, Petah-Tikva
| | - Ruth Defrin
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Hecker M, Bühring J, Fitzner B, Rommer PS, Zettl UK. Genetic, Environmental and Lifestyle Determinants of Accelerated Telomere Attrition as Contributors to Risk and Severity of Multiple Sclerosis. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1510. [PMID: 34680143 PMCID: PMC8533505 DOI: 10.3390/biom11101510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are protective structures at the ends of linear chromosomes. Shortened telomere lengths (TL) are an indicator of premature biological aging and have been associated with a wide spectrum of disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a chronic inflammatory, demyelinating and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system. The exact cause of MS is still unclear. Here, we provide an overview of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that have been described to influence TL and to contribute to susceptibility to MS and possibly disease severity. We show that several early-life factors are linked to both reduced TL and higher risk of MS, e.g., adolescent obesity, lack of physical activity, smoking and vitamin D deficiency. This suggests that the mechanisms underlying the disease are connected to cellular aging and senescence promoted by increased inflammation and oxidative stress. Additional prospective research is needed to clearly define the extent to which lifestyle changes can slow down disease progression and prevent accelerated telomere loss in individual patients. It is also important to further elucidate the interactions between shared determinants of TL and MS. In future, cell type-specific studies and advanced TL measurement methods could help to better understand how telomeres may be causally involved in disease processes and to uncover novel opportunities for improved biomarkers and therapeutic interventions in MS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hecker
- Division of Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Rostock University Medical Center, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147 Rostock, Germany; (J.B.); (B.F.); (P.S.R.); (U.K.Z.)
| | - Jan Bühring
- Division of Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Rostock University Medical Center, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147 Rostock, Germany; (J.B.); (B.F.); (P.S.R.); (U.K.Z.)
| | - Brit Fitzner
- Division of Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Rostock University Medical Center, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147 Rostock, Germany; (J.B.); (B.F.); (P.S.R.); (U.K.Z.)
| | - Paulus Stefan Rommer
- Division of Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Rostock University Medical Center, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147 Rostock, Germany; (J.B.); (B.F.); (P.S.R.); (U.K.Z.)
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18–20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Uwe Klaus Zettl
- Division of Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Rostock University Medical Center, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147 Rostock, Germany; (J.B.); (B.F.); (P.S.R.); (U.K.Z.)
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Zimmer Z, Korinek K, Young Y, Teerawichitchainan B, Toan TK. Early-Life War Exposure and Later-Life Frailty Among Older Adults in Vietnam: Does War Hasten Aging? J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2021; 77:1674-1685. [PMID: 34637517 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbab190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess the nature and degree of association between exposure to potentially-traumatic wartime experiences in early life, such as living in a heavily bombed region or witnessing death first-hand, and later-life frailty. METHODS The Vietnam Health and Aging Study included war survivors in Vietnam, 60+, who completed a survey and health exam between May and August 2018. Latent Class Analysis is used to construct classes exposed to similar numbers and types of wartime experiences. Frailty is measured using a deficit accumulation approach that proxies biological aging. Fractional logit regression associates latent classes with frailty scores. Coefficients are used to calculate predicted frailty scores and expected age at which specific levels of frailty are reached across wartime exposure classes. RESULTS LCA yields nine unique wartime exposure classes, ranging from extreme exposure to non-exposed. Higher frailty is found among those with more heavy/severe exposures with a combination of certain types of experiences, including intense bombing, witnessing death first-hand, having experienced sleep disruptions during wartime, and having feared for one's life during war. The difference in frailty-associated aging between the most and least affected individuals is more than 18 years. DISCUSSION War trauma hastens aging and warrants greater attention toward long-term implications of war on health among vast post-conflict populations across the globe.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Zimmer
- Department of Gerontology and Family Studies and Global Aging and Community Initiative, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Kim Korinek
- Department of Sociology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Yvette Young
- Department of Sociology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | | | - Tran Khanh Toan
- Family Medicine Department, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Needham BL, Straight B, Hilton CE, Olungah CO, Lin J. Family socioeconomic status and child telomere length among the Samburu of Kenya. Soc Sci Med 2021; 283:114182. [PMID: 34225037 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Previous research in high-income countries suggests that children from families with lower socioeconomic status (SES) tend to have shorter telomere length - a biomarker of stress and cell aging - than children from families with greater social and economic resources. However, little is known about predictors of child telomere length in low-income settings. Data for the current study are from a sample of 214 Samburu children aged 1-9 years. The Samburu are semi-nomadic pastoralists who live in the Rift Valley of north-central Kenya. Samburu livelihood is based primarily on livestock, and polygynous marriage is common. Drawing on prior ethnographic research, we measured 14 culturally relevant indicators of family SES, including mother's education, head of household's education, whether the child is currently attending school, household spending, mother's employment history, head of household's employment history, mother's perceived wealth, whether the child lives in a modern house, livestock holdings (total, cows, sheep/goats, and camels), mother's wife number, and whether the child lives in a polygynous household. Telomere length was measured in salivary DNA by the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method. Using latent class analysis, we identified four groups of children that are similar based on the 14 indicators of family SES: Lower SES; Middle SES, Traditional; Middle SES, Modern; and Higher SES. SES classes were not significantly associated with child telomere length. In models examining individual indicators of SES, we found that telomere length was 0.57 standard deviations greater for children who lived in families in the lowest quartile of total livestock holdings compared to those in the highest quartile (b = 0.57, p = 0.03). While additional research is needed to identify the mechanisms underlying this counterintuitive finding, the current study highlights the importance of cultural context in shaping the social gradient in health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Belinda L Needham
- Department of Epidemiology and Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, University of Michigan, USA.
| | - Bilinda Straight
- Department of Gender and Women's Studies, Western Michigan University, USA
| | - Charles E Hilton
- Department of Anthropology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA
| | | | - Jue Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Gonzalez-Guarda RM, Stafford AM, Nagy GA, Befus DR, Conklin JL. A Systematic Review of Physical Health Consequences and Acculturation Stress Among Latinx Individuals in the United States. Biol Res Nurs 2021; 23:362-374. [PMID: 33138635 PMCID: PMC8755947 DOI: 10.1177/1099800420968889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The health of Latinx immigrants decays over time and across generations. Acculturation stress influences decays in behavioral and mental health in this population, but the effect on physical health outcomes is less understood. This systematic review synthesizes findings from 22 studies that examined the influence of acculturation stress on physical health outcomes among Latinx populations in the United States. The Society-to-Cell Resilience Framework was used to synthesize findings according to individual, physiological, and cellular levels. There is mounting evidence identifying acculturation stress as an important social contributor to negative physical health outcomes, especially at the individual level. More research is needed to identify the physiological and cellular mechanisms involved. Interventions are also needed to address the damaging effects of acculturation stress on a variety of physical health conditions in this population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gabriela A. Nagy
- Duke Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Deanna R. Befus
- Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jamie L. Conklin
- Health Sciences Library, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Khan RJ, Needham BL, Advani S, Brown K, Dagnall C, Xu R, Gibbons GH, Davis SK. Association of Childhood Socioeconomic Status with Leukocyte Telomere Length Among African Americans and the Mediating Role of Behavioral and Psychosocial Factors: Results from the GENE-FORECAST Study. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2021; 9:1012-1023. [PMID: 33948907 PMCID: PMC9061663 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-021-01040-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Purpose We examined if childhood socioeconomic status (SES) was related to adult leucocyte telomere length (TL) using the data of 361 African American (AA) participants from the GENE-FORECAST Study. We also assessed the mediating role of behavioral and psychosocial factors in the association between childhood SES and adult TL. Methods Childhood SES was assessed individually by using participant’s mother’s education and occupation, father’s education and occupation, parental home ownership, and family structure. TL was assessed using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction method. Information on potential confounders and mediators were collected. The associations of childhood SES with TL were assessed using multivariable linear regression models. We used path analysis to quantify and test the share of these associations that was statistically explained by each of the mediators (participant’s educational attainment, smoking status, physical activity, dietary habit, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms). Results Mother’s education was associated with longer average TL (β: 0.021; 95% CI: 0.001, 0.04, p=0.038) in confounder adjusted models. Once mediators were introduced in the model, the estimates were reduced and remained marginally significant (β: 0.017; 95% CI: −0.003, 0.038, p=0.061). According to path model, approximately 19% of the effect of mother’s education on TL (β: 0.004; 95% CI: −0.001, 0.01, p < 0.10) was mediated through participant’s own education level. No significant mediation effect was observed for any other mediators. Conclusions These data provide evidence that participant’s mother’s education was positively linked to adult TL in AA population. Participant’s own educational level partially explained this association. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40615-021-01040-5.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rumana J Khan
- Cardiovascular Section, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Room 7N316 MSC 1644, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Belinda L Needham
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415, Ann Arbor, Washington Heights, MI, USA
| | - Shailesh Advani
- Cardiovascular Section, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Room 7N316 MSC 1644, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kristen Brown
- Cardiovascular Section, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Room 7N316 MSC 1644, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Casey Dagnall
- Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ruihua Xu
- Cardiovascular Section, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Room 7N316 MSC 1644, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Gary H Gibbons
- Cardiovascular Disease Section, Metabolic, Cardiovascular and Inflammatory Disease, Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sharon K Davis
- Cardiovascular Section, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Room 7N316 MSC 1644, Bethesda, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Moore S, Patel R, Stewart J, McLain AC, Heiney S. Social inequalities in accelerated aging among southern U.S. women: an analysis of the biosocial and behavioral pathways linking social determinants to telomere length. BIODEMOGRAPHY AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY 2021; 66:118-131. [PMID: 34182850 DOI: 10.1080/19485565.2020.1869918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Few studies have examined the biosocial pathways linking socioeconomic status (SES) to accelerated aging in a population-based sample of southern US women. Even fewer have examined the importance of chronic compared to perceived stress in linking SES to women's salivary telomere length (STL). Using data from a probability-based sample of 156 US women and structural equation modeling, we examined three pathways - chronic stress exposure, stress appraisal, and coping behavior - linking SES to STL. SES was positively associated with STL (βTE = 0.16, p < .05). Everyday discrimination was negatively associated with STL (βDE = -0.21, p < .05), but perceived stress was positively associated with STL (βDE = 0.20, p < .05). Current smoking decreased STL (βDE = -0.19, p < .01). Perceived stress acted to suppress the negative relationship of chronic stress exposure on STL. Given the dearth of STL studies that include measures of both perceived and chronic stress, our study supports the importance of disentangling stress measures and a biosocial approach to the study of accelerated aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Spencer Moore
- University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Rekha Patel
- University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Jason Stewart
- University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | | | - Sue Heiney
- University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Niño MD, Chavez YZ. Stress and Allostatic Load Among Latina/os: Evidence from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latina/os. J Immigr Minor Health 2021; 23:895-903. [PMID: 33666779 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-021-01175-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
We investigated associations between measures of environmental and psychological stress (i.e., chronic stress and perceived stress) and allostatic load across gender. We also tested whether other important intersectional factors, such as ethnic background and nativity, moderated stress-allostatic load relationships. Data were drawn from the Hispanic Community Health Study/ Study of Latina/os, a representative, multi-ethnic sample of Latina/os living in four urban communities. The final analytic sample consisted of 3848 Latina/os from five ethnic groups: Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Mexican, and South/ Central American. Findings indicate greater chronic and perceived stress were significantly associated with allostatic load for males but not for females. We also find, in some cases, ethnic background and nativity moderated relationships between types of stress and allostatic load for males. Findings suggest that environmental and psychological stressors can potentially shape health profiles of Latino males, with important differences across ethnic background and nativity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Niño
- Department of Sociology and Criminology, 1 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, USA.
| | - Yolanda Z Chavez
- Department of Sociology and Criminology, 1 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Affiliation(s)
- Stacy S Drury
- Children's Hospital New Orleans, Tulane Brain Institute, Department of Pediatrics, and Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Laboratory, Tulane University, New Orleans
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
De Padova S, Urbini M, Schepisi G, Virga A, Meggiolaro E, Rossi L, Fabbri F, Bertelli T, Ulivi P, Ruffilli F, Casadei C, Gurioli G, Rosti G, Grassi L, De Giorgi U. Immunosenescence in Testicular Cancer Survivors: Potential Implications of Cancer Therapies and Psychological Distress. Front Oncol 2021; 10:564346. [PMID: 33520693 PMCID: PMC7844142 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.564346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Testicular cancer (TC) is the most frequent solid tumor diagnosed in young adult males. Although it is a curable tumor, it is frequently associated with considerable short-term and long-term morbidity. Both biological and psychological stress experienced during cancer therapy may be responsible for stimulating molecular processes that induce premature aging and deterioration of immune system (immunosenescence) in TC survivors, leading to an increased susceptibility to infections, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. Immunosenescence is a remodeling of immune cell populations with inversion of the CD4:CD8 ratio, accumulation of highly differentiated memory cells, shrinkage of telomeres, shift of T-cell response to Th2 type, and release of pro-inflammatory signals. TC survivors exposed to chemotherapy show features of immunological aging, including an increase in memory T-cells (CD4+ and CD8+) and high expression of the senescence biomarker p16INK4a in CD3+ lymphocytes. However, the plethora of factors involved in the premature aging of TC survivors make the situation more complex if we also take into account the psychological stress and hormonal changes experienced by patients, as well as the high-dose chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation that some individuals may be required to undergo. The relatively young age and the long life expectancy of TC patients bear witness to the importance of improving quality of life and of alleviating long-term side-effects of cancer treatments. Within this context, the present review takes an in-depth look at the molecular mechanisms of immunosenescence, describing experimental evidence of cancer survivor aging and highlighting the interconnected relationship between the many factors modulating the aging of the immune system of TC survivors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silvia De Padova
- Psycho-Oncology Unit, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy
| | - Milena Urbini
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Schepisi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy
| | - Alessandra Virga
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy
| | - Elena Meggiolaro
- Psycho-Oncology Unit, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy
| | - Lorena Rossi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy
| | - Francesco Fabbri
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy
| | - Tatiana Bertelli
- Psycho-Oncology Unit, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy
| | - Paola Ulivi
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy
| | - Federica Ruffilli
- Psycho-Oncology Unit, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy
| | - Chiara Casadei
- Department of Medical Oncology, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy
| | - Giorgia Gurioli
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy
| | - Giovanni Rosti
- Department of Medical Oncology, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy
| | - Luigi Grassi
- Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, University of Ferrara and University Hospital Psychiatry Unit, Integrated Department of Mental Health S. Anna University Hospital and Health Authorities, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Ugo De Giorgi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Thomas N, Hudaib AR, Romano-Silva M, Bozaoglu K, H X Thomas E, Rossell S, Kulkarni J, Gurvich C. Influence of cortisol awakening response on telomere length: Trends for males and females. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 55:2794-2803. [PMID: 33012014 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Although telomere attrition is associated with the process of normal ageing, shorter telomere length (TL) has been associated with acute and chronic stressors. A neurobiological factor hypothesised to be responsible for this accelerated attrition is the dysregulation of the cortisol stress response, which can induce DNA damage affecting DNA telomeric caps. Marked sex differences are reported in both the cortisol stress response and telomere dynamics, yet no explicit investigation of sex specificity on the relationship between cortisol and TL exists. This study used mathematical equation modelling to describe the relationship between diurnal cortisol levels and telomere length within the context of sex, in a healthy population. Cortisol awakening responses (CAR) were measured via ELISA methodology in fifty-one healthy participants (28 males, 23 females). qPCRs determined TL from genomic DNA extracted from saliva. To assess the effect of free cortisol on relative TL ratio, a semi-log regression plot of the two variables trended for sex were fitted using spline curves. Results demonstrated significant differences between males and females in the relationship defining CAR and TL association (p = 0.03). These results suggest the relationship is not linear and can be represented as a complex arcsin function, and that the patterns are opposite in males and females. Males demonstrate a positive correlation, with higher levels of CAR being associated with longer telomere sequences. Females demonstrated a negative correlation. Future studies must carefully take into consideration moderating factors such as sex, and sex hormones across the lifespan when investigating telomere length.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Thomas
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University and the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Abdul-Rahman Hudaib
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University and the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Marco Romano-Silva
- Department of Saude Mental, Faculdade de Medicina, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Kiymet Bozaoglu
- Neurogenetic Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, The Department of Paediatrics University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Elizabeth H X Thomas
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University and the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Susan Rossell
- Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Vic, Australia
| | - Jayashri Kulkarni
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University and the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Caroline Gurvich
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University and the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Is Raising Your Grandchild Bad for Your Health? The Association Between Custodial Grandparent Status and Health Biomarkers in Taiwanese Grandparents. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17051753. [PMID: 32156094 PMCID: PMC7084530 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17051753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Data from two waves of the Social Environment and Biomarkers of Aging Study in Taiwan were analyzed to determine the effects of custodial grandparenting on health in a longitudinal sample. Self-reported measures on respondents' perception of their health, six health biomarkers, the presence of twelve diseases, and a measure of stress were included. Custodial Grandparents (CGPs) were significantly more likely to report worse health than their peers. However, there were no significant differences in biomarkers, and CGPs were only significantly different from non-custodial grandparents (nCGPs) regarding lower respiratory disease. Results suggest that CGPs do not have significantly worse health than nCGPs, but report feeling less healthy. This disparity is suspected to be due to energy levels or stress sources not assessed by the variables in the original study. These results and their implications based upon the stress-coping model elucidate the need to design interventions that incorporate the East Asian cultural values and practices in order to promote better health outcomes for CGP populations overall.
Collapse
|
26
|
Manczak EM, Gotlib IH. Relational Victimization and Telomere Length in Adolescent Girls. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE 2020; 30 Suppl 1:39-45. [PMID: 30133038 PMCID: PMC6384163 DOI: 10.1111/jora.12447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
An emerging body of research suggests that telomere length (TL)-a measure of cellular aging-is inversely associated with experiences of childhood stress. Given the salience of peer relationships in childhood and adolescence, we tested whether relational victimization is a unique and specific predictor of salivary TL in girls. Results examining 122 girls (ages 9-15) revealed that greater relational victimization was related to shorter TL but that similar associations were not evident for other measures of social relationships nor accounted for by factors related to depression, life stress, or 5-HTTLPR genotype. The present findings suggest that relational victimization is uniquely associated with TL in adolescence, revealing a link between key aspects of social relationships and biological processes.
Collapse
|
27
|
Chatelain M, Drobniak SM, Szulkin M. The association between stressors and telomeres in non‐human vertebrates: a meta‐analysis. Ecol Lett 2019; 23:381-398. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.13426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marion Chatelain
- Centre of New Technologies University of Warsaw Banacha 2C 02‐097 Warszawa Poland
| | - Szymon M. Drobniak
- Institute of Environmental Sciences Jagiellonian University Gronostajowa 7 30‐387 Kraków Poland
- Ecology & Evolution Research Centre School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney Australia
| | - Marta Szulkin
- Centre of New Technologies University of Warsaw Banacha 2C 02‐097 Warszawa Poland
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Needham BL, Salerno S, Roberts E, Boss J, Allgood KL, Mukherjee B. Do black/white differences in telomere length depend on socioeconomic status? BIODEMOGRAPHY AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY 2019; 65:287-312. [PMID: 33243026 PMCID: PMC7703670 DOI: 10.1080/19485565.2020.1765734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Social and economic disadvantage are hypothesized to increase the risk of disease and death via accelerated biological aging. Given that US blacks are socially and economically disadvantaged relative to whites, health disparities scholars expected that blacks would have shorter telomere length-a biomarker of cell aging-than whites. Yet the majority of studies have found that blacks have longer telomere length than whites. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (n = 3,761; 28.3% non-Hispanic black, 71.7% non-Hispanic white), we found that leukocyte telomere length was 4.00% (95% CI: 1.12%, 6.87%) longer among blacks compared to whites in the full sample, but differences were greatest among those with lower SES (5.66%; 95% CI: 0.10%, 10.32%), intermediate among those with middle SES (4.14%; 95% CI: 0.05%, 8.24%), and smallest among those with higher SES (2.33%; 95% CI: -3.02%, 7.67%). These results challenge purely genetic explanations for race differences in telomere length and point to a potential social-environmental cause of longer telomere length in US blacks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Belinda L. Needham
- Department of Epidemiology and Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, University of Michigan
| | | | | | | | - Kristi L. Allgood
- Department of Epidemiology and Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, University of Michigan
| | - Bhramar Mukherjee
- Department of Biostatistics, Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Meier HCS, Hussein M, Needham B, Barber S, Lin J, Seeman T, Diez Roux A. Cellular response to chronic psychosocial stress: Ten-year longitudinal changes in telomere length in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 107:70-81. [PMID: 31112903 PMCID: PMC6635040 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have demonstrated an inverse association between chronic psychosocial stress and leukocyte telomere length (LTL), a potential marker of cellular aging. However, due to paucity of longitudinal data, responses of LTL and the LTL aging trajectory to changes in chronic stress exposure remain less well understood. Using data from the Stress I and II ancillary studies of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, we estimated the 10-year longitudinal (n = 1,158) associations of within-person changes in chronic stress with changes in LTL, as well as the pooled, cross-sectional associations of chronic stress and LTL (total n = 2,231). We measured chronic stress from both individual and neighborhood-environment sources. At the individual level, we calculated a summary score of each participant's rating of their ongoing (>6 months) material/social problems as moderately/very stressful on the Chronic Burden Scale. Neighborhood-level stress was measured using a summary score of reverse-coded MESA Neighborhood safety, aesthetic quality, and social cohesion scales. Quantiles of these scores were empirically categorized as high, moderate, or low stress. We then summed these individual- and neighborhood-level categorical variables for a total stress measure. Longitudinal within-person associations were estimated with fixed-effects models, which control for all time-invariant confounding, with additional control for time-varying demographics, lagged behaviors and chronic conditions, and specimen storage duration, as well as correction for regression to the mean. Change from low to high total chronic stress was associated with telomere shortening by 0.054 units [95% confidence interval: -0.095, -0.013] over 10 years. This was consistent with, though stronger in magnitude than, cross-sectional estimates. Change in individual-level stress was the primary driver of this effect. We also found suggestive evidence that 1) individuals with persistently high stress experienced the least shortening of telomeres, and 2) changes in individual-level stress were associated with stronger telomere shortening among women, whereas changes in neighborhood stress were associated with stronger shortening among men. Our findings provide longitudinal support to existing evidence, and point to interesting dynamics in telomere attrition across stress levels and genders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helen C S Meier
- Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 1240 N. 10th St., Milwaukee, WI, 53205, USA.
| | - Mustafa Hussein
- Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 1240 N. 10th St., Milwaukee, WI, 53205, USA.
| | - Belinda Needham
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| | - Sharrelle Barber
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and the Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, 3215 Market St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Jue Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, 600 16th Street, Room S312F Genentech Hall, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
| | - Teresa Seeman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, University of California, Los Angeles, 10945 Le Conte Avenue, Suite 2339, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Ana Diez Roux
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and the Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, 3215 Market St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Han LKM, Verhoeven JE, Tyrka AR, Penninx BWJH, Wolkowitz OM, Månsson KNT, Lindqvist D, Boks MP, Révész D, Mellon SH, Picard M. Accelerating research on biological aging and mental health: Current challenges and future directions. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 106:293-311. [PMID: 31154264 PMCID: PMC6589133 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Aging is associated with complex biological changes that can be accelerated, slowed, or even temporarily reversed by biological and non-biological factors. This article focuses on the link between biological aging, psychological stressors, and mental illness. Rather than comprehensively reviewing this rapidly expanding field, we highlight challenges in this area of research and propose potential strategies to accelerate progress in this field. This effort requires the interaction of scientists across disciplines - including biology, psychiatry, psychology, and epidemiology; and across levels of analysis that emphasize different outcome measures - functional capacity, physiological, cellular, and molecular. Dialogues across disciplines and levels of analysis naturally lead to new opportunities for discovery but also to stimulating challenges. Some important challenges consist of 1) establishing the best objective and predictive biological age indicators or combinations of indicators, 2) identifying the basis for inter-individual differences in the rate of biological aging, and 3) examining to what extent interventions can delay, halt or temporarily reverse aging trajectories. Discovering how psychological states influence biological aging, and vice versa, has the potential to create novel and exciting opportunities for healthcare and possibly yield insights into the fundamental mechanisms that drive human aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura K M Han
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Oldenaller 1, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Josine E Verhoeven
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Oldenaller 1, the Netherlands
| | - Audrey R Tyrka
- Butler Hospital and the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Brenda W J H Penninx
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Oldenaller 1, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Owen M Wolkowitz
- Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kristoffer N T Månsson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Daniel Lindqvist
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Psychiatry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA; Psychiatric Clinic, Lund, Division of Psychiatry, Lund, Sweden
| | - Marco P Boks
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Dóra Révész
- Center of Research on Psychology in Somatic diseases (CoRPS), Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands
| | - Synthia H Mellon
- Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Martin Picard
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Behavioral Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; Department of Neurology, H. Houston Merritt Center, Columbia Translational Neuroscience Initiative, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Sullivan S, Hammadah M, Al Mheid I, Shah A, Sun YV, Kutner M, Ward L, Blackburn E, Zhao J, Lin J, Bremner JD, Quyyumi AA, Vaccarino V, Lewis TT. An investigation of racial/ethnic and sex differences in the association between experiences of everyday discrimination and leukocyte telomere length among patients with coronary artery disease. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 106:122-128. [PMID: 30978531 PMCID: PMC6655339 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) may be sensitive to psychosocial stressors such as discrimination. An inclusive examination of experiences of discrimination on LTL across racial/ethnic and sex groups is currently lacking. Baseline data were obtained from 369 White and African American patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) in the Mental Stress Ischemia Mechanisms and Prognosis Study. LTL was measured from peripheral blood leukocytes by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and calculated in kilobase pairs. Discrimination was measured using the 10-item Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS). Responses were rated using 4-point Likert scales ranging from never = 1 to often = 4 and summed. Regression models were stratified by race/ethnicity and sex to estimate associations between discrimination and LTL. Each 10-unit increase in experiences of everyday discrimination was associated with an average of .20 fewer kilobase pairs (or 200 base pairs) among both African American women (β = -0.19; 95% CI: -0.35, -0.04; p-value: 0.02) and White women (β = -0.19; 95% CI: -0.37, -0.01; p-value: 0.04), after adjusting for basic demographic factors. Results were similar after further adjusting for behavioral, disease, and psychosocial risk factors (depression and stress). There were no significant associations between experiences of everyday discrimination and LTL for White men or African American men. Overall, experiences of discrimination were associated with shorter LTL among women and not in men. Discrimination may be a potential source of stress associated with shorter LTL among women with CAD. Future studies should explore longitudinal associations between everyday experiences of discrimination and telomere length and also with adverse cardiovascular outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samaah Sullivan
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Muhammad Hammadah
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ibhar Al Mheid
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amit Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Yan V Sun
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Michael Kutner
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Laura Ward
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Blackburn
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jinying Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health and Health Professions and College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jue Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA; Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Arshed A Quyyumi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Tené T Lewis
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Bürgin D, O'Donovan A, d'Huart D, di Gallo A, Eckert A, Fegert J, Schmeck K, Schmid M, Boonmann C. Adverse Childhood Experiences and Telomere Length a Look Into the Heterogeneity of Findings-A Narrative Review. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:490. [PMID: 31191214 PMCID: PMC6541108 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been associated with poor mental and somatic health. Accumulating evidence indicates that accelerated biological aging-indexed by altered telomere-related markers-may contribute to associations between ACEs and negative long-term health outcomes. Telomeres are repeated, non-coding deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences at the end of chromosomes. Telomeres shorten during repeated cell divisions over time and are being used as a marker of biological aging. Objectives: The aim of the current paper is to review the literature on the relationship between ACEs and telomere length (TL), with a specific focus on how the heterogeneity of sample and ACEs characteristics lead to varying associations between ACEs and TL. Methods: Multiple databases were searched for relevant English peer-reviewed articles. Thirty-eight papers were found to be eligible for inclusion in the current review. Results: Overall, the studies indicated a negative association between ACEs and TL, although many papers presented mixed findings and about a quarter of eligible studies found no association. Studies with smaller sample sizes more often reported significant associations than studies with larger samples. Also, studies reporting on non-clinical and younger samples more often found associations between ACEs and TL compared to studies with clinical and older samples. Reviewing the included studies based on the "Stressor Exposure Characteristics" recently proposed by Epel et al. (2018) revealed a lack of detailed information regarding ACEs characteristics in many studies. Conclusion: Overall, it is difficult to achieve firm conclusions about associations of ACEs with TL due to the heterogeneity of study and ACE characteristics and the heterogeneity in reported findings. The field would benefit from more detailed descriptions of study samples and measurement of ACEs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Bürgin
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic, Psychiatric University Hospitals, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Aoife O'Donovan
- Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Delfine d'Huart
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic, Psychiatric University Hospitals, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alain di Gallo
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic, Psychiatric University Hospitals, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anne Eckert
- Neurobiological Laboratory for Brain Aging and Mental Health, Transfaculty Research Platform, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jörg Fegert
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Klaus Schmeck
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic, Psychiatric University Hospitals, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marc Schmid
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic, Psychiatric University Hospitals, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Cyril Boonmann
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic, Psychiatric University Hospitals, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Smith L, Luchini C, Demurtas J, Soysal P, Stubbs B, Hamer M, Nottegar A, Lawlor RT, Lopez-Sanchez GF, Firth J, Koyanagi A, Roberts J, Willeit P, Waldhoer T, Loosemore M, Abbs AD, Johnstone J, Yang L, Veronese N. Telomere length and health outcomes: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies. Ageing Res Rev 2019; 51:1-10. [PMID: 30776454 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to map and grade evidence for the relationships between telomere length with a diverse range of health outcomes, using an umbrella review of systematic reviews with meta-analyses. We searched for meta-analyses of observational studies reporting on the association of telomere length with any health outcome (clinical disease outcomes and intermediate traits). For each association, random-effects summary effect size, 95% confidence interval (CI), and 95% prediction interval were calculated. To evaluate the credibility of the identified evidence, we assessed also heterogeneity, evidence for small-study effect and evidence for excess significance bias. Twenty-one relevant meta-analyses were identified reporting on 50 different outcomes. The level of evidence was high only for the association of short telomeres with higher risk of gastric cancer in the general population (relative risk, RR = 1.95, 95%CI: 1.68-2.26), and moderate for the association of shorter telomeres with diabetes or with Alzheimer's disease, even if limited to meta-analyses of case-control studies. There was weak evidence for twenty outcomes and not significant association for 27 health outcomes. The present umbrella review demonstrates that shorter telomere length may have an important role in incidence gastric cancer and, probably, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. At the same time, conversely to general assumptions, it does not find strong evidence supporting the notion that shorter telomere length plays an important role in many health outcomes that have been studied thus far.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lee Smith
- The Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Claudio Luchini
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Italy
| | - Jacopo Demurtas
- Primary Care Department Azienda USL Toscana Sud Est, Grosseto, Italy
| | - Pinar Soysal
- Kayseri Education and Research Hospital, Geriatric Center, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Brendon Stubbs
- Physiotherapy Department, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ, UK; Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, UK
| | - Mark Hamer
- School Sport Exercise Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
| | - Alessia Nottegar
- Department of Surgery, Section of Pathology, San Bortolo Hospital, Vicenza, Italy
| | - Rita T Lawlor
- ARC-Net Research Center, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | | | - Joseph Firth
- NICM Health Research Institute, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Ai Koyanagi
- Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu/CIBERSAM, Universitat de Barcelona, Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Justin Roberts
- The Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Peter Willeit
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria; Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Thomas Waldhoer
- Department of Epidemiology, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Mike Loosemore
- University College London, Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, UK
| | | | - James Johnstone
- The Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Epidemiology, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Nicola Veronese
- National Research Council, Neuroscience Institute, Aging Branch, Padova, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Jiang Y, Da W, Qiao S, Zhang Q, Li X, Ivey G, Zilioli S. Basal cortisol, cortisol reactivity, and telomere length: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 103:163-172. [PMID: 30695740 PMCID: PMC6450740 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The objective of the present study is to synthesize the existing empirical literature and perform a meta-analysis of published data on the relationship between cortisol and telomere length. We systematically searched studies that examined the relationship between cortisol and telomere length in humans on electronic databases and screened reference sections of included articles. Fourteen studies were included in the meta-analysis, with effect sizes being extracted for two cortisol measures: basal cortisol levels and cortisol reactivity to acute psychological stress. Results from random effects models showed that basal cortisol levels (13 effect sizes from 12 cross-sectional studies, N = 3675 participants) were not significantly correlated with telomere length (r =-0.05, 95% CI [-0.11, 0.02]). Further, results stratified by the specimen type for cortisol measurement (i.e., saliva, urine, blood) showed that none of the three basal cortisol level measures were correlated with telomere length. However, we found a statistically significant correlation between salivary cortisol reactivity to acute psychosocial stress (6 cross-sectional studies, N = 958 participants) and telomere length (r = -0.13, 95% CI [-0.23, -0.03]). Subgroup analyses revealed that correlations between salivary cortisol reactivity and telomere length were more evident in studies conducted among children (vs. adults) and in studies that included female participants only (vs. both genders). However, the small number of available studies limits the conclusions derived from subgroup analyses, and more studies are needed before moderator effects can be properly established. Overall, findings of this study support the existence of a relationship between cortisol reactivity and telomere shortening.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanping Jiang
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, & Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC United States.
| | - Wendi Da
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, & Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
| | - Shan Qiao
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, & Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
| | - Quan Zhang
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, & Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
| | - Xiaoming Li
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, & Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
| | - Grace Ivey
- Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
| | - Samuele Zilioli
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI United States; Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI United States.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Beatty Moody DL, Leibel DK, Darden TM, Ashe JJ, Waldstein SR, Katzel LI, Liu HB, Weng NP, Evans MK, Zonderman AB. Interpersonal-level discrimination indices, sociodemographic factors, and telomere length in African-Americans and Whites. Biol Psychol 2019; 141:1-9. [PMID: 30553820 PMCID: PMC6438165 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Studies have linked self-reported discrimination to telomere attrition, a biological marker of accelerated cellular aging. However, it is unknown whether intersections between social categories-race, socioeconomic status (SES), sex, and age-influence the association of varying forms of discrimination with telomere length. We examined these associations in a socioeconomically and racially/ethnically diverse urban sample. METHODS Cross-sectional data were from 341 middle-aged (30-64 years) African American and White, community participants in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span Study (HANDLS). Multiple regression models examined up to 3-way interactions between a discrimination measure (i.e., everyday, racial, gender, lifetime burden, and frequency of discrimination across sources) and two social categories. RESULTS After adjusting for depressive symptoms, waist circumference, and lifetime substance use, two themes emerged: 1) among women with higher SES, a) greater lifetime discrimination burden (b = -0.23, p = .011), gender discrimination (b = -0.29, p = .040), and racial discrimination (b = -0.24, p = 0.023) and 2) among younger adults, irrespective of race and sex, greater frequency of discrimination across sources (b = 0.002, p = .008) was associated with shorter telomeres. CONCLUSIONS Irrespective of race, women with higher SES and younger adults reporting greater discrimination may be at particular risk for accelerated aging. Telomere attrition promotes and accelerates chronic health conditions for which there are health disparities. Future research explicating intersections among specific discrimination indices and social categories is warranted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel K Leibel
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Taylor M Darden
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jason J Ashe
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shari R Waldstein
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA; Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Leslie I Katzel
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hans B Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Nan-Ping Weng
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michele K Evans
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alan B Zonderman
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Wilbourn RV, Moatt JP, Froy H, Walling CA, Nussey DH, Boonekamp JJ. The relationship between telomere length and mortality risk in non-model vertebrate systems: a meta-analysis. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 373:rstb.2016.0447. [PMID: 29335371 PMCID: PMC5784067 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomere length (TL) has become a biomarker of increasing interest within ecology and evolutionary biology, and has been found to predict subsequent survival in some recent avian studies but not others. Here, we undertake the first formal meta-analysis to test whether there is an overall association between TL and subsequent mortality risk in vertebrates other than humans and model laboratory rodents. We identified 27 suitable studies and obtained standardized estimates of the hazard ratio associated with TL from each. We performed a meta-analysis on these estimates and found an overall significant negative association implying that short telomeres are associated with increased mortality risk, which was robust to evident publication bias. While we found that heterogeneity in the hazard ratios was not explained by sex, follow-up period, maximum lifespan or the age group of the study animals, the TL–mortality risk association was stronger in studies using qPCR compared to terminal restriction fragment methodologies. Our results provide support for a consistent association between short telomeres and increased mortality risk in birds, but also highlight the need for more research into non-avian vertebrates and the reasons why different telomere measurement methods may yield different results. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Understanding diversity in telomere dynamics’.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachael V Wilbourn
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Ashworth Laboratories, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Joshua P Moatt
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Ashworth Laboratories, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Hannah Froy
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Ashworth Laboratories, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Craig A Walling
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Ashworth Laboratories, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Daniel H Nussey
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Ashworth Laboratories, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Jelle J Boonekamp
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, PO Box 72, 9700 AB Groningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Johnson AJ, Terry E, Bartley EJ, Garvan C, Cruz-Almeida Y, Goodin B, Glover TL, Staud R, Bradley LA, Fillingim RB, Sibille KT. Resilience factors may buffer cellular aging in individuals with and without chronic knee pain. Mol Pain 2019; 15:1744806919842962. [PMID: 30900507 PMCID: PMC6484237 DOI: 10.1177/1744806919842962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomere length, a measure of cellular aging, is inversely associated with chronic pain severity. While psychological resilience factors (e.g., optimism, acceptance, positive affect, and active coping) are associated with lower levels of clinical pain and greater physical functioning, it is unknown whether resilience may buffer against telomere shortening in individuals with chronic pain. Additionally, a broader conceptualization of resilience that includes social and biobehavioral factors may improve our understanding of the relationship between resilience, chronic pain, and health outcomes. In individuals with and without chronic knee pain, we investigated whether (1) psychological resilience would be positively associated with telomere length and if (2) a broader conceptualization of resilience including social and biobehavioral factors would strengthen the association. Seventy-nine adults, 45 to 85 years of age, with and without knee pain completed demographic, health, clinical pain, psychological, social, and biobehavioral questionnaires. Resilience levels were determined by summing the total number of measures indicating resilience based on published clinical ranges and norms. Blood samples were collected, and telomere length was determined. In regression analyses controlling for sex, race, age, and characteristic pain intensity, greater psychological resilience and psychosocial/biobehavioral resilience were associated with longer telomeres ( p = .0295 and p = .0116, respectively). When compared, psychosocial/biobehavioral resilience was significantly more predictive of telomere length than psychological resilience ( p < .0001). Findings are promising and encourage further investigations to enhance understanding of the biological interface of psychosocial and biobehavioral resilience factors in individuals with musculoskeletal chronic pain conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alisa J Johnson
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Ellen Terry
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Emily J Bartley
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Cynthia Garvan
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Burel Goodin
- Division of Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Toni L Glover
- College of Nursing, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Roland Staud
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Laurence A Bradley
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Roger B Fillingim
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kimberly T Sibille
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
McFarland MJ, Taylor J, McFarland CAS, Friedman KL. Perceived Unfair Treatment by Police, Race, and Telomere Length: A Nashville Community-based Sample of Black and White Men. JOURNAL OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR 2018; 59:585-600. [PMID: 30417689 DOI: 10.1177/0022146518811144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Police maltreatment, whether experienced personally or indirectly through one's family or friends, represents a structurally rooted public health problem that disproportionately affects minorities. Researchers, however, know little about the physiological mechanisms connecting unfair treatment by police (UTBP) to poor health. Shortened telomeres due to exposure to this stressor represent one plausible mechanism. Using data from a community sample of black (n = 262) and white (n = 252) men residing in Nashville-Davidson County, we test four hypotheses: (1) Black men will be more likely to report UTBP than white men, (2) those reporting UTBP will have shorter telomeres than those not reporting UTBP, (3) this association will be more pronounced among black men, and (4) these hypotheses will extend to those who report vicarious UTBP. Results reveal support for all hypotheses. The implications for our findings are discussed as they pertain to debates on policing practices and health disparities research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - John Taylor
- 1 Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
39
|
Tennyson RL, Gettler LT, Kuzawa CW, Hayes MG, Agustin SS, Eisenberg DTA. Lifetime socioeconomic status and early life microbial environments predict adult blood telomere length in the Philippines. Am J Hum Biol 2018; 30:e23145. [PMID: 30129279 PMCID: PMC6192840 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Psychosocial stress is postulated to hasten senescence in part by accelerating the shortening of telomere length (TL). One pathway through which this may happen is via increasing inflammation and innate immune system activation-a pathway which recent studies suggest acts more strongly for those who grew up in low microbial environments. Thus, we hypothesized that: (1) Psychosocial stress will be inversely associated with TL, (2) early life microbial environments will predict TL, and (3) microbial environments will moderate the association between psychosocial stress and TL. METHODS We utilized data from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey based in the Philippines (N = 1410). We determined early life microbial environments by season of birth and exposure to animal feces. Psychosocial stress measures included perceived stress in adulthood, lifetime socioeconomic status (SES), and parental instability in childhood. TL was measured in blood from young adults by qPCR. RESULTS Contrary to predictions, we found that higher SES was associated with shorter TL and no association of TL with the other stress variables. Individuals born in the higher microbial exposure season had shorter TL, but early life microbial environments did not moderate the association between psychosocial stress and TL. CONCLUSIONS The unexpected inverse association between SES and TL suggests that higher SES, while indexing lower psychosocial stress, may impact TL more strongly through nonstress factors in the Philippines, such as unhealthy behavior. The inverse association between microbial environments and TL is consistent with other evidence connecting early life infections to decreased life expectancies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert L Tennyson
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington
- Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington
| | - Lee T Gettler
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame
| | - Christopher W Kuzawa
- Cells 2 Society: the Center for Social Disparities and Health, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University
| | - M. Geoffrey Hayes
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
| | - Sonny S Agustin
- USC-Office of Population Studies Foundation, University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines
| | - Dan TA Eisenberg
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington
- Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Loprinzi PD, Frith E. Association Between Perceived Physical Activity and Cognitive Function in Older Adults. Psychol Rep 2018; 122:108-116. [PMID: 29307247 DOI: 10.1177/0033294117750632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
There is irrefutable evidence that regular participation in physical activity is favorably associated with numerous positive health outcomes, including cognitive function. Emerging work suggests that perceived physical activity, independent of actual physical activity behavior, is inversely associated with mortality risk. In this study, we evaluate whether perceived physical activity, independent of actual physical activity, is associated with cognitive function, a robust indicator of mortality risk. Data from the cross-sectional 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were employed ( N = 2352; 60+ years of age). Actual physical activity was assessed via a validated survey. Perceived physical activity was assessed using the following question: "Compared with others of the same age, would you say that you are: more active, less active, or about the same?" Cognitive function was assessed from the Digit Symbol Substitution Test. When examined in separate models, both actual and perceived physical activity were positively and statistically significantly associated with cognitive function. However, when considered in the same model, actual physical activity was no longer statistically significantly associated with cognitive function, but perceived physical activity was. Perceived physical activity, independent of actual physical activity, is independently associated with cognitive function. If these findings are replicated, future work should consider evaluating perceived physical activity when examining the effects of actual physical activity behavior on cognitive function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul D Loprinzi
- Exercise Psychology Laboratory, Physical Activity Epidemiology Laboratory, School of Applied Sciences, Department of Health, Exercise Science and Recreation Management, The University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA
| | - Emily Frith
- Exercise Psychology Laboratory, Physical Activity Epidemiology Laboratory, School of Applied Sciences, Department of Health, Exercise Science and Recreation Management, The University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Mitchell C, McLanahan S, Schneper L, Garfinkel I, Brooks-Gunn J, Notterman D. Father Loss and Child Telomere Length. Pediatrics 2017; 140:peds.2016-3245. [PMID: 28716823 PMCID: PMC5527665 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2016-3245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Father loss during childhood has negative health and behavioral consequences, but the biological consequences are unknown. Our goal was to examine how father loss (because of separation and/or divorce, death, or incarceration) is associated with cellular function as estimated by telomere length. METHODS Data come from the 9-year follow-up of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a birth cohort study of children in 20 large American cities (N = 2420). Principal measures are as follows: salivary telomere length (sTL), mother reports of father loss, and polymorphisms in genes related to serotonergic and dopaminergic signaling. RESULTS At 9 years of age, children with father loss have significantly shorter telomeres (14% reduction). Paternal death has the largest association (16%), followed by incarceration (10%), and separation and/or divorce (6%). Changes in income partially mediate these associations (95% mediation for separation and/or divorce, 30% for incarceration, and 25% for death). Effects are 40% greater for boys and 90% greater for children with the most reactive alleles of the serotonin transporter genes when compared with those with the least reactive alleles. No differences were found by age at father loss or a child's race/ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS Father loss has a significant association with children's sTL, with the death of a father showing the largest effect. Income loss explains most of the association between child sTL and separation and/or divorce but much less of the association with incarceration or death. This underscores the important role of fathers in the care and development of children and supplements evidence of the strong negative effects of parental incarceration.
Collapse
|
42
|
Jones HJ, Janson SL, Lee KA. Leukocyte Telomere Length in Postmenopausal Women. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 2017; 46:567-575. [PMID: 28535365 PMCID: PMC5609731 DOI: 10.1016/j.jogn.2017.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare leukocyte telomere length (LTL) by race and describe demographic, health, and psychosocial factors associated with LTL in postmenopausal women. DESIGN Descriptive study with comparative analyses and correlations. SETTING Data were collected at the University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco Clinical and Translational Science Institute. PARTICIPANTS Thirty-nine African American and White postmenopausal women between 58 and 65 years of age (mean age = 61.3 ± 1.83 years). METHODS Measures included demographics, blood pressure, anthropometrics, scores on the Perceived Stress Scale and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression, and blood samples for LTL. RESULTS African American women (n = 14) had greater PSS-10 and CES-D scores, greater blood pressure, and greater body mass index than White women (n = 25; p < .05), but LTL did not significantly differ between the two groups. Age was inversely related to LTL (r = -.355, p < .05). After age and race were controlled, fewer children (p = .005) and greater perceived stress (p = .036) were related to shorter LTL. CONCLUSION Findings from this small sample support the association between age and LTL. The association between perceived stress, number of children, and shorter LTL in postmenopausal women requires further research and replication of findings in a larger, more diverse sample.
Collapse
|
43
|
Tucker LA. Physical activity and telomere length in U.S. men and women: An NHANES investigation. Prev Med 2017; 100:145-151. [PMID: 28450121 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2017.04.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Revised: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 04/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The principal objective was to determine the extent to which physical activity (PA) accounts for differences in leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in a large random sample of U.S. adults. Another purpose was to assess the extent to which multiple demographic and lifestyle covariates affect the relationship between PA and LTL. A total of 5823 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 1999-2002) were studied cross-sectionally. Employing the quantitative polymerase chain reaction method, LTL was compared to standard reference DNA. PA was indexed using MET-minutes using self-reported frequency, intensity, and duration of participation in 62 physical activities. Covariates were controlled statistically. Telomeres were 15.6 base pairs shorter for each year of chronological age (F=723.2, P<0.0001). PA was inversely related to LTL after adjusting for all the covariates (F=8.3, P=0.0004). Telomere base pair differences between adults with High activity and those in the Sedentary, Low, and Moderate groups were 140, 137, and 111, respectively. Adults with High activity were estimated to have a biologic aging advantage of 9years (140 base pairs÷15.6) over Sedentary adults. The difference in cell aging between those with High and Low activity was also significant, 8.8years, as was the difference between those with High and Moderate PA (7.1years). Overall, PA was significantly and meaningfully associated with telomere length in U.S. men and women. Evidently, adults who participate in high levels of PA tend to have longer telomeres, accounting for years of reduced cellular aging compared to their more sedentary counterparts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Larry A Tucker
- Department of Exercise Sciences, 237 SFH, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Hanssen LM, Schutte NS, Malouff JM, Epel ES. The Relationship Between Childhood Psychosocial Stressor Level and Telomere Length: A Meta-Analysis. Health Psychol Res 2017; 5:6378. [PMID: 28603779 PMCID: PMC5452631 DOI: 10.4081/hpr.2017.6378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
This meta-analysis examined the association between the level of childhood psychosocial stressors and telomere length, an important health biomarker. The meta-analysis, including 27 samples and 16,238 participants, found a significant association of -0.08 between a higher level of childhood stressors and shorter telomere length at a mean age of 42 across studies. Moderator analyses showed a trend in the direction of effect sizes being significantly larger with shorter times between the stressors and telomere measurement. Moderator analyses showed significantly higher effect sizes for studies that used a categorical method for assessing child stressor level and for assays completed with qPCR rather than with the Southern blot method. There was no significant moderation of effect size by whether study assayed leukocytes or buccal cells, whether the study assessed child stressor level by memory-based recall versus archival records, and whether the study controlled for age, sex, or additional variables. The results, focused on childhood events, add to prior findings that perceived stress and negative emotions are associated with telomere length.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - John M Malouff
- Department of Psychology, University of New England, Australia
| | - Elissa S Epel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Roberts AL, Koenen KC, Chen Q, Gilsanz P, Mason SM, Prescott J, Ratanatharathorn A, Rimm EB, Sumner JA, Winning A, De Vivo I, Kubzansky LD. Posttraumatic stress disorder and accelerated aging: PTSD and leukocyte telomere length in a sample of civilian women. Depress Anxiety 2017; 34:391-400. [PMID: 28380289 PMCID: PMC5848097 DOI: 10.1002/da.22620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2016] [Revised: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies in male combat veterans have suggested posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with shorter telomere length (TL). We examined the cross-sectional association of PTSD with TL in women exposed to traumas common in civilian life. METHODS Data are from a substudy of the Nurses' Health Study II (N = 116). PTSD and subclinical PTSD were assessed in trauma-exposed women using diagnostic interviews. An array of health behaviors and conditions were assessed. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes (collected 1996-1999). Telomere repeat copy number to single gene copy number (T/S) was determined by quantitative real-time PCR telomere assay. We used linear regression models to assess associations and examine whether a range of important health behaviors (e.g., cigarette smoking) and medical conditions (e.g., hypertension) previously associated with TL might explain a PTSD-TL association. We further examined whether type of trauma exposure (e.g., interpersonal violence) was associated with TL and whether trauma type might explain a PTSD-TL association. RESULTS Relative to not having PTSD, women with a PTSD diagnosis had shorter log-transformed TL (β = -.112, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.196, -0.028). Adjustment for health behaviors and medical conditions did not attenuate this association. Trauma type was not associated with TL and did not account for the association of PTSD with TL. CONCLUSIONS Our results add to growing evidence that PTSD may be associated with more rapid cellular aging as measured by telomere erosion. Moreover, the association could not be explained by health behaviors and medical conditions assessed in this study, nor by type of trauma exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea L. Roberts
- Department of Social and Behavioral Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
| | - Karestan C. Koenen
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health,Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA
| | - Qixuan Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
| | - Paola Gilsanz
- Department of Social and Behavioral Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
| | - Susan M. Mason
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health
| | - Jennifer Prescott
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School
| | | | - Eric B. Rimm
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health,Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
| | - Jennifer A. Sumner
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health,Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health, Columbia University Medical Center
| | - Ashley Winning
- Department of Social and Behavioral Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
| | - Immaculata De Vivo
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health,Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School
| | - Laura D. Kubzansky
- Department of Social and Behavioral Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Zou Y, Leong W, Yao M, Hu X, Lu S, Zhu X, Chen L, Tong J, Shi J, Gilson E, Ye J, Lu Y. Test anxiety and telomere length: Academic stress in adolescents may not cause rapid telomere erosion. Oncotarget 2017; 8:10836-10844. [PMID: 28122333 PMCID: PMC5355227 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.14793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 01/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Academic stress (AS) is one of the most important health problems experienced by students, but no biomarker of the potential psychological or physical problems associated with AS has yet been identified. As several cross-sectional studies have shown that psychiatric conditions accelerate aging and shorten telomere length (TL), we explored whether AS affected TL.Between June 2014 and July 2014, we recruited 200 junior high school students with imminent final examinations for participation in this study. The students were divided into three subgroups (mild, moderate, and severe anxiety) using the Sarason Test Anxiety Scale (TAS). Saliva samples were collected for TL measurement via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).Students from both a specialized and a general school suffered from anxiety (p > 0.05). A total 35% had severe anxiety (score: 26.09±3.87), 33% had moderate anxiety (16.98±2.64), and 32% had mild anxiety (7.89±1.92). The TAS values differed significantly (p < 0.05) among the three subgroups, but the TLs of saliva cells differed only slightly (p > 0.05): 1.14±0.46 for those with severe anxiety, 1.02±0.40 for those with moderate anxiety, and 1.12±0.45 for those with mild anxiety.Previous reports have found that AS is very common in Asian adolescents. We found no immediate telomere shortening in adolescents with AS. Longitudinal observations are required to determine if TL is affected by AS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yaru Zou
- International Laboratory in Hematology and Cancer, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine/Ruijin Hospital/CNRS/INSERM/Nice University, Pôle Sino-Français de Recherche en Sciences du Vivant et Génomique, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Emergency Department, Shanghai Ruijin Hospital North, Shanghai, China.,Dermatology Department, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Waiian Leong
- International Laboratory in Hematology and Cancer, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine/Ruijin Hospital/CNRS/INSERM/Nice University, Pôle Sino-Français de Recherche en Sciences du Vivant et Génomique, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Emergency Department, Shanghai Ruijin Hospital North, Shanghai, China.,Emergency Department, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingling Yao
- International Laboratory in Hematology and Cancer, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine/Ruijin Hospital/CNRS/INSERM/Nice University, Pôle Sino-Français de Recherche en Sciences du Vivant et Génomique, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Emergency Department, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuefei Hu
- International Laboratory in Hematology and Cancer, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine/Ruijin Hospital/CNRS/INSERM/Nice University, Pôle Sino-Français de Recherche en Sciences du Vivant et Génomique, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,School of Life Science, Eastern China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sixiao Lu
- Xiangming High School, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaowei Zhu
- International Laboratory in Hematology and Cancer, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine/Ruijin Hospital/CNRS/INSERM/Nice University, Pôle Sino-Français de Recherche en Sciences du Vivant et Génomique, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Emergency Department, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lianxiang Chen
- International Laboratory in Hematology and Cancer, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine/Ruijin Hospital/CNRS/INSERM/Nice University, Pôle Sino-Français de Recherche en Sciences du Vivant et Génomique, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Emergency Department, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianjing Tong
- Exclusive Medical Care Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingyi Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Institute of Hematology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Eric Gilson
- International Laboratory in Hematology and Cancer, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine/Ruijin Hospital/CNRS/INSERM/Nice University, Pôle Sino-Français de Recherche en Sciences du Vivant et Génomique, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INSERM, IRCAN, Faculty of Medicine, Nice, France.,Department of Medical Genetics, CHU Nice, France
| | - Jing Ye
- International Laboratory in Hematology and Cancer, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine/Ruijin Hospital/CNRS/INSERM/Nice University, Pôle Sino-Français de Recherche en Sciences du Vivant et Génomique, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Emergency Department, Shanghai Ruijin Hospital North, Shanghai, China.,Emergency Department, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiming Lu
- International Laboratory in Hematology and Cancer, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine/Ruijin Hospital/CNRS/INSERM/Nice University, Pôle Sino-Français de Recherche en Sciences du Vivant et Génomique, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Emergency Department, Shanghai Ruijin Hospital North, Shanghai, China.,Emergency Department, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the association between depressive symptoms and salivary telomere length in a probability sample of middle-aged and older adults, and to evaluate age and sex as potential moderators of this association and test whether this association was incremental to potential confounds. METHODS Participants were 3,609 individuals from the 2008 wave of the Health and Retirement Study. Telomere length assays were performed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction on DNA extracted from saliva samples. Depressive symptoms were assessed via interview, and health and lifestyle factors, traumatic life events, and neuroticism were assessed via self-report. Regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between predictor variables and salivary telomere length. RESULTS After adjusting for demographics, depressive symptoms were negatively associated with salivary telomere length (b = -.003; p = .014). Furthermore, this association was moderated by sex (b = .005; p = .011), such that depressive symptoms were significantly and negatively associated with salivary telomere length for men (b = - .006; p < .001) but not for women (b = - .001; p = .644). The negative association between depressive symptoms and salivary telomere length in men remained statistically significant after additionally adjusting for cigarette smoking, body mass index, chronic health conditions, childhood and lifetime exposure to traumatic life events, and neuroticism. CONCLUSIONS Higher levels of depressive symptoms were associated with shorter salivary telomeres in men, and this association was incremental to several potential confounds. Shortened telomeres may help account for the association between depression and poor physical health and mortality.
Collapse
|
48
|
Darrow SM, Verhoeven JE, Révész D, Lindqvist D, Penninx BWJH, Delucchi KL, Wolkowitz OM, Mathews CA. The Association Between Psychiatric Disorders and Telomere Length: A Meta-Analysis Involving 14,827 Persons. Psychosom Med 2016; 78:776-87. [PMID: 27359174 PMCID: PMC5003712 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000000356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study examined the relationship between leukocyte telomere length (LTL), a marker of cell aging, and psychiatric disorders in adults compared with controls using meta-analytic methods. METHODS Data were abstracted from studies examining the relationship between LTL and adult psychiatric disorders. In addition to an overall estimate of effect size, subgroup analyses and meta-regression were performed to examine whether covariates (including psychiatric diagnoses) moderated the estimate. RESULTS A significant overall effect size showing LTL shortening was found across all psychiatric disorders (Hedge g = -0.50, p < .001). Subgroup analyses did not demonstrate significant differences in effect size based on individual covariates (psychiatric disorder, sex, age, or assay method). The meta-regression indicated that although type of disorder and, likely, age moderate the overall effect size, the heterogeneity between studies could not be explained by a model that included these variables as well as sex and assay method. Although not significantly different, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, and depressive disorders had comparatively larger effect sizes (-1.27, -0.53, and -0.55), and psychotic and bipolar disorders had comparatively smaller ones (-0.23 and -0.26). CONCLUSIONS We observed a robust effect size of LTL shortening for psychiatric disorders as a whole compared with controls. The results were less straightforward regarding relative differences in the strength of this association by specific disorder. Future studies should focus on mechanisms explaining accelerated cell aging with psychiatric illness, defining directions (if any) of causality and elucidating possible differences in this association between disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina M Darrow
- From the Department of Psychiatry (Darrow, Lindqvist, Delucchi, Wolkowitz, Mathews), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (Verhoeven, Révész, Penninx) and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Clinical Sciences (Lindqvist), Section for Psychiatry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
49
|
Mathur MB, Epel E, Kind S, Desai M, Parks CG, Sandler DP, Khazeni N. Perceived stress and telomere length: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and methodologic considerations for advancing the field. Brain Behav Immun 2016; 54:158-169. [PMID: 26853993 PMCID: PMC5590630 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2015] [Revised: 01/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Psychological stress contributes to numerous diseases and may do so in part through damage to telomeres, protective non-coding segments on the ends of chromosomes. OBJECTIVE We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the association between self-reported, perceived psychological stress (PS) and telomere length (TL). DATA SOURCES We searched 3 databases (PubMed, PsycInfo, and Scopus), completed manual searches of published and unpublished studies, and contacted all study authors to obtain potentially relevant data. STUDY SELECTION Two independent reviewers assessed studies for original research measuring (but not necessarily reporting the correlation between) PS and TL in human subjects. 23 studies met inclusion criteria; 22 (totaling 8948 subjects) could be meta-analyzed. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS We assessed study quality using modified MINORS criteria. Since not all included studies reported PS-TL correlations, we obtained them via direct calculation from author-provided data (7 studies), contact with authors (14 studies), or extraction from the published article (1 study). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES We conducted random-effects meta-analysis on our primary outcome, the age-adjusted PS-TL correlation. We investigated potential confounders and moderators (sex, life stress exposure, and PS measure validation) via post hoc subset analyses and meta-regression. RESULTS Increased PS was associated with a very small decrease in TL (n=8724 total; r=-0.06; 95% CI: -0.10, -0.008; p=0.01; α=0.025), adjusting for age. This relationship was similar between sexes and within studies using validated measures of PS, and marginally (nonsignificantly) stronger among samples recruited for stress exposure (r=-0.13; vs. general samples: b=-0.11; 95% CI: -0.27, 0.01; p=0.05; α=0.013). Publication bias may exist; correcting for its effects attenuated the relationship. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Our analysis finds a very small, statistically significant relationship between increased PS (as measured over the past month) and decreased TL that may reflect publication bias, although fully parsing the effects of publication bias from other sample-size correlates is challenging, as discussed. The association may be stronger with known major stressors and is similar in magnitude to that noted between obesity and TL. All included studies used single measures of short-term stress; the literature suggests long-term chronic stress may have a larger cumulative effect. Future research should assess for potential confounders and use longitudinal, multidimensional models of stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maya B. Mathur
- Quantitative Sciences Unit, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA,To whom correspondence should be addressed: Maya B. Mathur, Quantitative Sciences Unit, c/o Inna Sayfer, Stanford University, 1070 Arastradero Rd., Palo Alto, CA, 94305, t: 650-863-2384;
| | - Elissa Epel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shelley Kind
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Manisha Desai
- Quantitative Sciences Unit, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Christine G. Parks
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Dale P. Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Nayer Khazeni
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA,Center for Health Policy and Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Whisman MA, Robustelli BL, Sbarra DA. Marital disruption is associated with shorter salivary telomere length in a probability sample of older adults. Soc Sci Med 2016; 157:60-7. [PMID: 27062452 PMCID: PMC4883574 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2015] [Revised: 03/15/2016] [Accepted: 03/20/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Marital disruption (i.e., marital separation, divorce) is associated with a wide range of poor mental and physical health outcomes, including increased risk for all-cause mortality. One biological intermediary that may help explain the association between marital disruption and poor health is accelerated cellular aging. OBJECTIVE This study examines the association between marital disruption and salivary telomere length in a United States probability sample of adults ≥50 years of age. METHOD Participants were 3526 individuals who participated in the 2008 wave of the Health and Retirement Study. Telomere length assays were performed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) on DNA extracted from saliva samples. Health and lifestyle factors, traumatic and stressful life events, and neuroticism were assessed via self-report. Linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between predictor variables and salivary telomere length. RESULTS Based on their marital status data in the 2006 wave, people who were separated or divorced had shorter salivary telomeres than people who were continuously married or had never been married, and the association between marital disruption and salivary telomere length was not moderated by gender or neuroticism. Furthermore, the association between marital disruption and salivary telomere length remained statistically significant after adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic variables, neuroticism, cigarette use, body mass, traumatic life events, and other stressful life events. Additionally, results revealed that currently married adults with a history of divorce evidenced shorter salivary telomeres than people who were continuously married or never married. CONCLUSION Accelerated cellular aging, as indexed by telomere shortening, may be one pathway through which marital disruption is associated with morbidity and mortality.
Collapse
|