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Emery CR, Xie QW, Chan JSM, Leng LL, Chan CHY, So KF, Li A, Po KKT, Chouliara Z, Chan CLW, Choi AWM, Yuen LP, Ku KS, Kung W, Ng SM. The Counterintuitive Relationship between Telomerase Activity and Childhood Emotional Abuse: Culture and Complexity. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:ijerph18041619. [PMID: 33567728 PMCID: PMC7914855 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18041619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND: A burgeoning literature has found relationships between telomere length, telomerase activity, and human health and longevity. Although some research links a history of childhood adversity with shortened telomere length, our review found no prior research on the relationship between child maltreatment history and telomerase activity in adulthood. We hypothesized a negative relationship between child maltreatment and telomerase activity and hypothesized that the association would be moderated by sex. METHODS: These relationships were tested on a sample of 262 Hong Kong Chinese adults (200 females versus 62 males) with mild to moderate depression. RESULTS: Counterintuitively, emotional abuse was positively associated with telomerase activity, while other maltreatment types were non-significant. The positive relationship between emotional abuse and telomerase activity was significantly moderated by the sex of the participant. CONCLUSIONS: We advance two possible explanations for this finding (1) a culturally informed resilience explanation and (2) a homeostatic complexity explanation. The two explanations are not mutually exclusive. This trial is registered under Hong Kong Clinical Trial Register number HKCTR-1929. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Emotional abuse was significantly positively associated with telomerase activity. There are at least two non-mutually exclusive explanations for the findings. Simply put, either (1) in the cultural context of Hong Kong emotional abuse was not a risk factor, and/or (2) the conceptualization of telomerase activity as a straightforward indicator of longevity is overly simplistic. The first story we might term a “resilience explanation” while the second we might call a “homeostatic complexity” story.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clifton R. Emery
- SWSA, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong; (L.-L.L.); (C.H.Y.C.); (C.L.W.C.)
- Correspondence: (C.R.E.); (S.-M.N.)
| | - Qian-Wen Xie
- School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China;
| | - Jessie S. M. Chan
- Department of Psychology, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong;
| | - Ling-Li Leng
- SWSA, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong; (L.-L.L.); (C.H.Y.C.); (C.L.W.C.)
| | - Celia H. Y. Chan
- SWSA, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong; (L.-L.L.); (C.H.Y.C.); (C.L.W.C.)
| | - Kwok-Fai So
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong; (K.-F.S.); (K.K.T.P.)
- Joint International Research Laboratory of CNS Regeneration Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China;
| | - Ang Li
- Joint International Research Laboratory of CNS Regeneration Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China;
| | - Kevin K. T. Po
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong; (K.-F.S.); (K.K.T.P.)
| | - Zoe Chouliara
- Independent Practice, Edinburgh, Midlothian EH7, UK;
| | - Cecilia Lai Wan Chan
- SWSA, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong; (L.-L.L.); (C.H.Y.C.); (C.L.W.C.)
| | - Anna W. M. Choi
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong;
| | - L. P. Yuen
- International Association for Health and Yangsheng, 20 Venturi Rd., Happy Valley, Hong Kong;
| | - Kam Shing Ku
- Haven of Hope Haven of Hope Christian Service, 7 Haven of Hope Rd, Hong Kong;
| | - Winnie Kung
- Graduate School of Social Service, Fordham University, New York, NY 10023, USA;
| | - Siu-Man Ng
- SWSA, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong; (L.-L.L.); (C.H.Y.C.); (C.L.W.C.)
- Correspondence: (C.R.E.); (S.-M.N.)
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