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Campos-Sánchez I, Navarrete-Muñoz EM, Hurtado-Pomares M, Júlvez J, Lertxundi N, Martens DS, Fernández-Somoano A, Riaño-Galán I, Guxens M, Ibarluzea JM, Nawrot T, Valera-Gran D. Association between telomere length and neuropsychological function at 4-5 years in children from the INMA project: a cross-sectional study. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024; 33:2803-2812. [PMID: 38246982 PMCID: PMC11272730 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-023-02361-y] [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: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Shortened telomere length (TL) has been associated with lower cognitive performance, different neurological diseases in adults, and certain neurodevelopmental disorders in children. However, the evidence about the association between TL and neuropsychological developmental outcomes in children from the general population is scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the association between TL and neuropsychological function in children 4-5 years of age. We included 686 children from the INMA Project, a population-based birth cohort in Spain. Leucocyte TL was determined by quantitative PCR method, and neuropsychological outcomes were measured using the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MCSA). Multiple linear regression models were used to estimate associations adjusted for potential confounding variables. Main findings showed that a longer TL was associated with a higher mean working memory score (β = 4.55; 95% CI = 0.39, 8.71). In addition, longer TL was associated with a higher mean global quantitative score (β = 3.85; 95% CI = -0.19, 7.89), although the association was marginally significant. To our knowledge, this is the first study that shows a positive association between TL and better neuropsychological outcomes in children. Although further research is required to confirm these results, this study supports the hypothesis that TL is essential in protecting and maintaining a child's health, including cognitive functions such as working memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Campos-Sánchez
- Department of Surgery and Pathology, Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain
| | - Eva María Navarrete-Muñoz
- Department of Surgery and Pathology, Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain.
- Grupo de Investigación en Terapia Ocupacional (InTeO), Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain.
- Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research, Alicante, Spain.
| | - Miriam Hurtado-Pomares
- Department of Surgery and Pathology, Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain
- Grupo de Investigación en Terapia Ocupacional (InTeO), Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain
| | - Jordi Júlvez
- Clinical and Epidemiological Neuroscience (NeuroÈpia), Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Nerea Lertxundi
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Environmental Epidemiology and Child Development Group, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastian, Spain
- School of Psychology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Dries S Martens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Ana Fernández-Somoano
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Universitario de Oncología Del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA) - Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Isolina Riaño-Galán
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain
- Servicio de Pediatría, Endocrinología Pediátrica, HUCA, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Mònica Guxens
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jesús María Ibarluzea
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Environmental Epidemiology and Child Development Group, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastian, Spain
- School of Psychology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, San Sebastián, Spain
- Sub-Directorate for Public Health and Addictions of Gipuzkoa, Ministry of Health of the Basque Government, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Tim Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Desirée Valera-Gran
- Department of Surgery and Pathology, Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain
- Grupo de Investigación en Terapia Ocupacional (InTeO), Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain
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Martha SR, Tolentino EJ, Bugajski AA, Thompson HJ. Telomere Length Associates With Symptom Severity After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Older Adults. Neurotrauma Rep 2023; 4:350-358. [PMID: 37284700 PMCID: PMC10240314 DOI: 10.1089/neur.2023.0012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The objectives were to compare differences in telomere length (TL) among younger (21-54 years) and older adults (≥55) with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) to non-injured controls and to examine the association between TL and the severity of post-concussive symptoms over time. We performed a quantitative polymerase chain reaction to determine the TL (Kb/genome) of peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples (day 0, 3 months, and 6 months) from 31 subjects. The Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire was used to assess symptoms. Group-by-time comparisons of TL and symptom severity were evaluated with repeated-measures analysis of variance. Multiple linear regression examined the relationship between TL, group (mTBI and non-injured controls), and symptom severity total and subscale scores. Significant aging-related differences in TL were found within mTBI groups by time (day 0, 3 months, and 6 months; p = 0.025). Older adults with mTBI experienced significant worsening of changes in total symptom severity scores over time (day 0, 3 months, and 6 months; p = 0.016). Shorter TLs were associated with higher total symptom burden among each of the four groups at day 0 (baseline; p = 0.035) and 3 months (p = 0.038). Shorter TL was also associated with higher cognitive symptom burden among the four groups at day 0 (p = 0.008) and 3 months (p = 0.008). Shorter TL was associated with higher post-injury symptom burden to 3 months in both older and younger persons with mTBI. Large-scale, longitudinal studies of factors associated with TL may be useful to delineate the mechanistic underpinnings of higher symptom burden in adults with mTBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R. Martha
- Biobehavioral Nursing Science Department, College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - Andrew A. Bugajski
- Department of Research and Sponsored Studies, Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, Lakeland, Florida, USA
| | - Hilaire J. Thompson
- Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Informatics Department, School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Zhang Y, Pang N, Huang X, Meng W, Meng L, Zhang B, Jiang Z, Zhang J, Yi Z, Luo Z, Wang Z, Niu L. Ultrasound deep brain stimulation decelerates telomere shortening in Alzheimer's disease and aging mice. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 3:469-478. [PMID: 38933758 PMCID: PMC11197585 DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2022.02.010] [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: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomere length is a reliable biomarker for health and longevity prediction in both humans and animals. The common neuromodulation techniques, including deep brain stimulation (DBS) and optogenetics, have excellent spatial resolution and depth penetration but require implementation of electrodes or optical fibers. Therefore, it is important to develop methods for noninvasive modulation of telomere length. Herein, we reported on a new method for decelerating telomere shortening using noninvasive ultrasound deep brain stimulation (UDBS). Firstly, we found that UDBS could activate the telomerase-associated proteins in normal mice. Then, in the Alzheimer's disease mice, UDBS was observed to decelerate telomere shortening of the cortex and myocardial tissue and to effectively improve spatial learning and memory abilities. Similarly, UDBS was found to significantly slow down telomere shortening of the cortex and peripheral blood, and improve motor and cognitive functions in aging mice. Finally, transcriptome analysis revealed that UDBS upregulated the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway. Overall, the present findings established the critical role of UDBS in delaying telomere shortening and indicated that ultrasound modulation of telomere length may constitute an effective therapeutic strategy for aging and aging-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaya Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Brain Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, China
| | - Na Pang
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiaowei Huang
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Wen Meng
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Long Meng
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Bingchang Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Brain Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, China
| | - Zhengye Jiang
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361000, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Shanghai Green Valley Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200120, China
| | - Zhou Yi
- Shanghai Green Valley Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200120, China
| | - Zhiyu Luo
- Shanghai Green Valley Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200120, China
| | - Zhanxiang Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Brain Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, China
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361000, China
| | - Lili Niu
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
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Lai KY, Webster C, Kumari S, Gallacher JEJ, Sarkar C. The associations of socioeconomic status with incident dementia and Alzheimer's disease are modified by leucocyte telomere length: a population-based cohort study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6163. [PMID: 37061546 PMCID: PMC10105714 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32974-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Socio-economic status (SES) and biological aging are risk factors for dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, however, it is less clear if the associations with SES vary sufficiently across different biological age strata. We used data from 331,066 UK Biobank participants aged 38-73 with mean follow-up of 12 years to examine if associations between SES (assessed by educational attainment, employment status and household income) and dementia and Alzheimer's disease are modified by biological age (assessed by leucocyte telomere length: LTL). Diagnosis of events was ascertained through hospital admissions data. Cox regressions were used to estimate hazard ratios [HRs]. A consistent dose-response relationship was found, with participants in low SES and shorter LTL strata (double-exposed group) reporting 3.28 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.57-4.20) and 3.44 (95% CI 2.35-5.04) times higher risks of incident dementia and Alzheimer's disease respectively, compared to those of high SES and longer LTL (least-exposed group). Of interest is a synergistic interaction between SES and LTL to increase risk of dementia (RERI 0.57, 95% CI 0.07-1.06) and Alzheimer's disease (RERI 0.79, 95% CI 0.02-1.56). Our findings that SES and biological age (LTL) are synergistic risk factors of dementia and Alzheimer's disease may suggest the need to target interventions among vulnerable sub-groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ka Yan Lai
- Healthy High Density Cities Lab, HKUrbanLab, The University of Hong Kong, Knowles Building, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Department of Urban Planning and Design, The University of Hong Kong, Knowles Building, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Chris Webster
- Healthy High Density Cities Lab, HKUrbanLab, The University of Hong Kong, Knowles Building, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Department of Urban Planning and Design, The University of Hong Kong, Knowles Building, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Sarika Kumari
- Healthy High Density Cities Lab, HKUrbanLab, The University of Hong Kong, Knowles Building, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - John E J Gallacher
- Dementias Platform UK, Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK
| | - Chinmoy Sarkar
- Healthy High Density Cities Lab, HKUrbanLab, The University of Hong Kong, Knowles Building, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
- Department of Urban Planning and Design, The University of Hong Kong, Knowles Building, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
- Dementias Platform UK, Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK.
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Sheikh-Wu SF, Liang Z, Downs CA. The Relationship Between Telomeres, Cognition, Mood, and Physical Function: A Systematic Review. Biol Res Nurs 2023; 25:227-239. [PMID: 36222081 DOI: 10.1177/10998004221132287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Cognitive, affective, and physical symptoms and alterations in their function are seen across chronic illnesses. Data suggest that environmental, psychological, and physiological factors contribute to symptom experience, potentially through loss of telomeres (telomere attrition), structures at the ends of chromosomes. Telomere length is affected by many factors including environmental (e.g., exercise, diet, smoking) and physiological (e.g., response to stress), as well as from oxidative damage and inflammation that occurs in many disease processes. Moreover, telomere attrition is associated with chronic disease (cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease) and predicts higher morbidity and mortality rates. However, findings are inconsistent among telomere roles and relationships with health outcomes. This article aims to synthesize the current state-of-the-science of telomeres and their relationship with cognitive, affective, and physical function and symptoms. Method: A comprehensive literature search was performed in two databases: CINAHL and PUBMED. A total of 33 articles published between 2000 and 2022 were included in the final analysis. Results: Telomere attrition is associated with various changes in cognitive, affective, and physical function and symptoms. However, findings are inconsistent. Interventional studies (e.g., meditation and exercise) may affect telomere attrition, potentially impacting health outcomes. Conclusion: Nursing research and practice are at the forefront of furthering the understanding of telomeres and their relationships with cognitive, affective, and physical function and symptoms. Future interventions targeting modifiable risk factors may be developed to improve health outcomes across populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zhan Liang
- 5452University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
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Han MH, Lee EH, Park HH, Choi SH, Koh SH. Relationship between telomere shortening and early subjective depressive symptoms and cognitive complaints in older adults. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:914-931. [PMID: 36805537 PMCID: PMC10008503 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204533] [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: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
Telomere length (TL) has been reported to be associated with depression and cognitive impairment in elderly. Early detection of depression and cognitive impairment is important to delay disease progression. Therefore, we aimed to identify whether TL is associated with early subjective depressive symptoms and cognitive complaints among healthy elderly subjects. This study was a multicenter, outcome assessor-blinded, 24-week, randomized controlled trial (RCT). Measurement of questionnaire and physical activity scores and blood sample analyses were performed at baseline and after six months of follow-up in all study participants. Linear regression analyses were performed to identify whether early subjective depressive symptoms, cognitive complaints, and several blood biomarkers are associated with TL. Altogether, 137 relatively healthy elderly individuals (60-79 years old) were enrolled in this prospective RCT. We observed an approximate decrease of 0.06 and 0.11-0.14 kbps of TL per one point increase in the geriatric depression scale and cognitive complaint interview scores, respectively, at baseline and after six months of follow-up. We also found an approximate decrease of 0.08-0.09 kbps of TL per one point increase in interleukin (IL)-6 levels at baseline and after six months of follow-up. Our study showed that both early subjective depressive symptoms and cognitive complaints were associated with a relatively shorter TL in relatively healthy elderly individuals. In addition, based on our findings, we believe that IL-6 plays an important role in the relationship between shortening TL and early subjective depressive symptoms and cognitive complaints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myung-Hoon Han
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Guri 11923, South Korea
| | - Eun-Hye Lee
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Guri 11923, South Korea
| | - Hyun-Hee Park
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Guri 11923, South Korea
| | - Seong Hye Choi
- Department of Neurology, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon 22332, South Korea
| | - Seong-Ho Koh
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Guri 11923, South Korea
- Department of Translational Medicine, Hanyang University Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Seoul 04763, South Korea
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Chen C, Yang K, Nan H, Unverzagt F, McClure LA, Irvin MR, Judd S, Cushman M, Kamin Mukaz D, Klaunig JE, D'Alton ME, Kahe K. Associations of Telomere Length and Change With Cognitive Decline Were Modified by Sex and Race: The REGARDS Study. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen 2023; 38:15333175231175797. [PMID: 37340856 PMCID: PMC10624094 DOI: 10.1177/15333175231175797] [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] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We examined the associations of baseline telomere length (TL) and TL change with cognitive function over time in older US adults, as well as differences by sex and race. METHODS A total of 1820 cognitively healthy individuals (median baseline age: 63 years) were included. Telomere length was measured using qPCR-based method at baseline and among 614 participants in the follow-up examination 10 years later. Cognitive function was assessed by a four-test battery every 2 years. RESULTS In multivariable-adjusted linear mixed models, longer baseline TL and smaller attrition/lengthening of TL over time were associated with better Animal Fluency Test score. Longer baseline TL was also linearly associated with better Letter Fluency Test score. The observed associations were consistently more pronounced in women than men and in Black compared to White participants. DISCUSSION Telomere length may be a biomarker that predicts long-term verbal fluency and executive function, particularly in women and Black Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vagelos College of Physician and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Keming Yang
- Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital & Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hongmei Nan
- Department of Global Health, Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Frederick Unverzagt
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Leslie A. McClure
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Marguerite R. Irvin
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Suzanne Judd
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Mary Cushman
- Department of Medicine, Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Debora Kamin Mukaz
- Department of Medicine, Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - James E. Klaunig
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Indiana University–Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Mary E. D'Alton
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vagelos College of Physician and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ka Kahe
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vagelos College of Physician and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Analysis of Telomere Length and Its Implication in Neurocognitive Functions in Elderly Women. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11061728. [PMID: 35330058 PMCID: PMC8955297 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11061728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
During the normal aging process, a series of events occur, such as a decrease in telomere length and a decrease in various cognitive functions, such as attention, memory, or perceptual-motor speed. Several studies have attempted to establish a correlation between both variables; however, there is considerable controversy in the scientific literature. The aim of our study was to establish a correlation between the scores obtained in the following different cognitive tests: the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Benton Visual Retention Test, the Trail Making Test, the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, the Stroop Test, and the measurement of telomere length. The sample consisted of a total of 41 physically active, healthy women, with a mean age of 71.21 (±4.32) and of 33 physically inactive, healthy women, with a mean age of 72.70 (±4.13). Our results indicate that there is no correlation between the scores obtained by the women in either group and their telomere length. Therefore, it is not possible to conclude that telomere length can be correlated with cognitive performance.
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Differences between multimodal brain-age and chronological-age are linked to telomere shortening. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 115:60-69. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Womersley JS, Spies G, Tromp G, Seedat S, Hemmings SMJ. Longitudinal telomere length profile does not reflect HIV and childhood trauma impacts on cognitive function in South African women. J Neurovirol 2021; 27:735-749. [PMID: 34448146 PMCID: PMC8602727 DOI: 10.1007/s13365-021-01009-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) present a challenge in South Africa where the burden of HIV infection is the highest. Identification of biological correlates of HAND is required to improve diagnosis and inform interventions. Telomeres maintain genomic integrity and their shortening is a marker of biological aging sensitive to environmental influences. This study examined relative telomere length (rTL) as a predictor of cognitive function in the context of HIV and childhood trauma (CT), a risk factor for HAND. Two hundred and eighty-six women completed a neurocognitive assessment battery and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ). Quantitative polymerase chain reaction for amplification of telomeric repeats and the reference gene human beta-globin was used to calculate rTL. Neurocognitive and rTL assessments were repeated at 1 year in 110 participants. Cross-sectional and longitudinal data were assessed using linear and mixed models, respectively. Participants with HIV (n = 135 in cross-sectional and n = 62 in longitudinal study groups) reported more severe CT and had shorter baseline rTL compared to seronegative controls. Participants without HIV had a greater 1-year decline in rTL. Global cognitive and attention/working memory scores declined in participants with HIV. Our data indicate that baseline rTL in the context of CT and HIV did not predict decline in cognitive scores. HIV-associated pathophysiological processes driving cognitive decline may also engage mechanisms that protect against telomere shortening. The results highlight the importance of examining biological correlates in longitudinal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Samantha Womersley
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
- South African Medical Research Council/Stellenbosch University Genomics of Brain Disorders Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Georgina Spies
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council/Stellenbosch University Genomics of Brain Disorders Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Gerard Tromp
- Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Bioinformatics Unit, South African Tuberculosis Bioinformatics Initiative, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Centre for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Soraya Seedat
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council/Stellenbosch University Genomics of Brain Disorders Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sian Megan Joanna Hemmings
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council/Stellenbosch University Genomics of Brain Disorders Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
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The functional and structural connectomes of telomere length and their association with cognition in mild cognitive impairment. Cortex 2020; 132:29-40. [PMID: 32919107 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2020.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Previous findings on the relationship between telomere length and cognition have inconclusive, despite the relatively consistent telomere-shortening associated atrophy in the subcortical regions. Perhaps, there could be other more important telomere-associated factors in the brain, such as functional connectivity (FC) and structural connectivity (SC) that modulate cognition. The current study examined the relationship between telomere length, connectivity, and cognition. Telomere length measurements, neurocognitive scores, diffusion tensor and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were collected from 82 older adults with mild cognitive impairment. SC and FC matrices were derived from these scans and, in various combinations, entered into connectome-based predictive models to predict telomere length. The telomere-associated features were then used to predict memory and executive functions. Leave-one-out cross-validation was performed. Predictive accuracy was assessed via the correlation between predicted and observed scores (rpredicted-observed). Correlation analyses were carried out between cognition and telomere length. Telomere length was significantly and negatively correlated with executive functions (EF), after controlling for demographical confounds. Telomere length was best predicted by negative SC and positive FC features (rpredicted-observed = .57; p < .001). The telomere-associated negative SC features significantly predicted EF scores (rpredicted-observed = -.26; p = .015). Telomere-shortening was associated with better EF and alterations in both FC and SC. This enhanced EF can be partly attributed to the telomere-associated changes in SC. Given that telomere is known to be a nonspecific marker of health, our findings illustrated a potential clinical use of telomere length to predict individualized health-related information from FC and SC features.
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