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Duarte M, Pedrosa SS, Khusial PR, Madureira AR. Exploring the interplay between stress mediators and skin microbiota in shaping age-related hallmarks: A review. Mech Ageing Dev 2024; 220:111956. [PMID: 38906383 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2024.111956] [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: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Psychological stress is a major contributing factor to several health problems (e.g., depression, cardiovascular disease). Around 35 % of the world's population suffers from it, including younger generations. Physiologically, stress manifests through neuroendocrine pathways (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and Sympathetic-Adrenal-Medullary (SAM) system) which culminate in the production of stress mediators like cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine. Stress and its mediators have been associated to body aging, through molecular mechanisms such as telomere attrition, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, chronic inflammation, and dysbiosis, among others. Regarding its impact in the skin, stress impacts its structural integrity and physiological function. Despite this review focusing on several hallmarks of aging, emphasis was placed on skin microbiota dysbiosis. In this line, several studies, comprising different age groups, demographic contexts and body sites, have reported skin microbiota alterations associated with aging, and some effects of stress mediators on skin microbiota have also been reviewed in this paper. From a different perspective, since it is not a "traditional" stress mediator, oxytocin, a cortisol antagonist, has been related to glucorticoids inhibition and to display positive effects on cellular aging. This hormone dysregulation has been associated to psychological issues such as depression, whereas its upregulation has been linked to positive social interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Duarte
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina - Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, Porto 4169-005, Portugal
| | - Sílvia Santos Pedrosa
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina - Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, Porto 4169-005, Portugal
| | - P Raaj Khusial
- Amyris Biotech INC, 5885 Hollis St Ste 100, Emeryville, CA 94608-2405, USA
| | - Ana Raquel Madureira
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina - Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, Porto 4169-005, Portugal.
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2
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Martinez RAM, Howard AG, Fernández-Rhodes L, Maselko J, Pence BW, Dhingra R, Galea S, Uddin M, Wildman DE, Aiello AE. Does biological age mediate the relationship between childhood adversity and depression? Insights from the Detroit Neighborhood Health Study. Soc Sci Med 2024; 340:116440. [PMID: 38039767 PMCID: PMC10843850 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
The link between childhood adversity and adulthood depression is well-established; however, the underlying mechanisms are still being explored. Recent research suggests biological age may mediate the relationship between childhood adversity and depression in later life. This study examines if biological age mediates the relationship between childhood adversity and depression symptoms using an expanded set of biological age measures in an urban population-based cohort. Data from waves 1-3 of the Detroit Neighborhood Health Study (DNHS) were used in this analysis. Questions about abuse during childhood were coded to form a childhood adversity score similar to the Adverse Childhood Experience measure. Multiple dimensions of biological age, defined as latent variables, were considered, including systemic biological age (GrimAge, PhenoAge), epigenetic age (Horvath, SkinBlood), and immune age (cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus type 1, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6). Depression symptoms, modeled as a latent variable, were captured through the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Models were adjusted for age, gender, race, parent education, and past depressive symptoms. Total and direct effects of childhood adversity on depression symptoms and indirect effects mediated by biological age were estimated. For total and direct effects, we observed a dose-dependent relationship between cumulative childhood adversity and depression symptoms, with emotional abuse being particularly influential. However, contrary to prior studies, in this sample, we found few direct effects of childhood adversity on biological age or biological age on depression symptoms and no evidence of mediation through the measures of biological age considered in this study. Further research is needed to understand how childhood maltreatment experiences are embodied to influence health and wellness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rae Anne M Martinez
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Annie Green Howard
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Joanna Maselko
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Brian W Pence
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Radhika Dhingra
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Sandro Galea
- Office of the Dean, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, USA
| | - Monica Uddin
- Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Derek E Wildman
- Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Allison E Aiello
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia, NY, New York, USA; Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia, NY, New York, USA
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3
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Ochi S, Roy B, Prall K, Shelton RC, Dwivedi Y. Strong associations of telomere length and mitochondrial copy number with suicidality and abuse history in adolescent depressed individuals. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3920-3929. [PMID: 37735501 PMCID: PMC10730407 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02263-0] [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: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is highly prevalent in adolescents and is a major risk factor for suicidality. Recent evidence shows that accelerated cellular senescence/aging is associated with psychiatric illness, including depression, in adults. The present study examined if the relationships of telomere length (TL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn), two critical indicators of cellular senescence/aging, are altered in depressed adolescents and whether these alterations are associated with suicidality, early-life adversities, and other co-occuring factors. In genomic DNA isolated from 53 adolescents (ages 16-19, 19 MDD with suicide attempt/suicidal ideation [MDD + SI/SA], 14 MDD without SA/SI [MDD-SI/SA], and 20 healthy controls [HC]), TL and mtDNAcn were measured as the ratio between the number of telomere repeats and that of a single-copy nuclear-hemoglobin [HBG] gene or the amount of mtDNA (NADH dehydrogenase, subunit 1) relative to HBG. Our data show that TL was significantly lower, and mtDNAcn was significantly higher in the total MDD group than HC. TL was significantly lower and mtDNAcn was significantly higher in the MDD + SA/SI group than in the HC, whereas there were no differences in the MDD-SI/SA group. TL was positively correlated with mtDNAcn in both HC and MDD-SA/SI groups; however, TL was negatively correlated with mtDNAcn in MDD + SA/SI. Furthermore, TL was negatively correlated with the severity of both depression and anxiety, while mtDNAcn was positively correlated with the severity of prior emotional abuse. Our study indicates that cellular senescence is more advanced in depressed adolescents with suicidal ideation and that childhood emotional abuse may participate in such a process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinichiro Ochi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Molecules and Function, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Shitsukawa, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan
| | - Bhaskar Roy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Kevin Prall
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Richard C Shelton
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Yogesh Dwivedi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
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Rampersaud R, Wu GWY, Reus VI, Lin J, Blackburn EH, Epel ES, Hough CM, Mellon SH, Wolkowitz OM. Shorter telomere length predicts poor antidepressant response and poorer cardiometabolic indices in major depression. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10238. [PMID: 37353495 PMCID: PMC10290110 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35912-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: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomere length (TL) is a marker of biological aging, and shorter telomeres have been associated with several medical and psychiatric disorders, including cardiometabolic dysregulation and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). In addition, studies have shown shorter TL to be associated with poorer response to certain psychotropic medications, and our previous work suggested shorter TL and higher telomerase activity (TA) predicts poorer response to Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) treatment. Using a new group of unmedicated medically healthy individuals with MDD (n = 48), we sought to replicate our prior findings demonstrating that peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) TL and TA predict response to SSRI treatment and to identify associations between TL and TA with biological stress mediators and cardiometabolic risk indices. Our results demonstrate that longer pre-treatment TL was associated with better response to SSRI treatment (β = .407 p = .007). Additionally, we observed that TL had a negative relationship with allostatic load (β = - .320 p = .017) and a cardiometabolic risk score (β = - .300 p = .025). Our results suggest that PBMC TL reflects, in part, the cumulative effects of physiological stress and cardiovascular risk in MDD and may be a biomarker for predicting SSRI response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Rampersaud
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Gwyneth W Y Wu
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Victor I Reus
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jue Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth H Blackburn
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Elissa S Epel
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Christina M Hough
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Synthia H Mellon
- Department of OB-GYN and Reproductive Sciences, UCSF School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Owen M Wolkowitz
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Dantzer B. Frank Beach Award Winner: The centrality of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in dealing with environmental change across temporal scales. Horm Behav 2023; 150:105311. [PMID: 36707334 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Understanding if and how individuals and populations cope with environmental change is an enduring question in evolutionary ecology that has renewed importance given the pace of change in the Anthropocene. Two evolutionary strategies of coping with environmental change may be particularly important in rapidly changing environments: adaptive phenotypic plasticity and/or bet hedging. Adaptive plasticity could enable individuals to match their phenotypes to the expected environment if there is an accurate cue predicting the selective environment. Diversifying bet hedging involves the production of seemingly random phenotypes in an unpredictable environment, some of which may be adaptive. Here, I review the central role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and glucocorticoids (GCs) in enabling vertebrates to cope with environmental change through adaptive plasticity and bet hedging. I first describe how the HPA axis mediates three types of adaptive plasticity to cope with environmental change (evasion, tolerance, recovery) over short timescales (e.g., 1-3 generations) before discussing how the implications of GCs on phenotype integration may depend upon the timescale under consideration. GCs can promote adaptive phenotypic integration, but their effects on phenotypic co-variation could also limit the dimensions of phenotypic space explored by animals over longer timescales. Finally, I discuss how organismal responses to environmental stressors can act as a bet hedging mechanism and therefore enhance evolvability by increasing genetic or phenotypic variability or reducing patterns of genetic and phenotypic co-variance. Together, this emphasizes the crucial role of the HPA axis in understanding fundamental questions in evolutionary ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, MI 48109 Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, MI 48109, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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6
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Khalil D, Giurgescu C, Misra DP, Templin T, Jenuwine E, Drury SS. Psychosocial Factors and Telomere Length Among Parents and Infants of Immigrant Arab American Families. Biol Res Nurs 2023; 25:137-149. [PMID: 36036284 PMCID: PMC10331091 DOI: 10.1177/10998004221124145] [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: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background: Immigrant Arab American families face multiple stressors related to migration and resettlement. Telomere length (TL) is an established biomarker of aging and psychosocial stress. No published studies have concurrently examined the association between maternal and paternal psychosocial factors and infants' TL. The purpose of this study was to: (1) compare mother, father, and infant TLs; (2) explore the association of maternal and paternal psychosocial factors (acculturative stress and depressive symptoms) with maternal and paternal TL; and (3) explore the association of maternal and paternal psychosocial factors with infants' TL among Arab American immigrants. Method: Using a cross-sectional exploratory design, a sample of 52 immigrant Arab American mother-father-infant triads were recruited from community centers. Data were collected in a single home visit when the infant was 6-24 months old. Each parent completed the study questionnaires addressing their psychosocial factors (acculturative stress, and depressive symptoms), then parents and infants provided buccal cell for TL measurement. Results: Maternal TL was positively correlated to infants' TL (r = .31, p = .04) and significantly shorter (p < .001). Paternal TL was not correlated with infant TL but was significantly shorter than infant's TL (p < .001). Maternal depression was significantly correlated with mothers' TL (r = .4, p = .007). Higher levels of maternal depressive symptoms were significantly associated with shorter infant TL when controlling for background characteristics. Conclusions: Our pilot study is the first study to examine maternal and paternal psychosocial factors related to migration and infants' TL. More research is needed to advance our understanding of the effects of immigration on the intergenerational transfer of stress and trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia Khalil
- College of Nursing, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Carmen Giurgescu
- College of Nursing, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Dawn P. Misra
- College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Thomas Templin
- College of Nursing, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | | | - Stacy S. Drury
- The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
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Walia N, Sidana A, Arun P, Kaur G, Sharma V. Telomerase enzyme activity in patients with major depressive disorder: A pre and post-treatment study. J Affect Disord 2023; 320:268-274. [PMID: 36191646 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.138] [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: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomerase is a cellular enzyme that prevents telomere shortening and promoting viability. The literature has reported shortened telomere length in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). METHODS 35 patients with diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) fulfilling DMS-5 criteria in the age range of 18-60 years, treatment-naïve after assessing the severity on HAM-D and HAM-A and 35 age and sex matched healthy controls were included in the study. Baseline peripheral blood monocytes (PBMC) telomerase enzyme was assessed in cases and controls and repeated in cases of MDD at 8th week after intervention with escitalopram for 8 weeks. RESULTS Pretreatment telomerase activity (TA) was elevated in cases as compared to controls and it was also significantly correlated to the severity of depression (p = 0.00). There was a significant positive difference in telomerase activity between non-responders (higher TA) and responders at baseline (p = 0.001) and 8th week (p = 0.012). The TA did not vary significantly amidst pretreatment and post-treatment, although it was slightly lower in the post-treatment group. LIMITATIONS The study has few limitations in the form of small sample size, shorter duration of follow-up, and leucocyte telomeres length (LTL) was not assessed. CONCLUSION The index study concludes that TA is higher in drug naïve patients with MDD than age and sex matched healthy control. The non-responders had significantly higher TA as compared to responders at baseline and post-treatment which indicates TA as a potential biomarker in the underlying biological mechanism of MDD and in response to antidepressant pharmacotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nethi Walia
- Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Ajeet Sidana
- Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh, India.
| | - Priti Arun
- Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Gurjit Kaur
- Department of Physiology, Genetic Centre, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Vishal Sharma
- Genetic Centre, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India
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Telomere length in individuals with and without major depression and adverse childhood experiences. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 142:105762. [PMID: 35679773 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) and adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are associated with poor physical and mental health in adulthood. One underlying mechanism might be accelerated cellular aging. For example, both conditions, MDD and ACE, have been related to a biological marker of cellular aging, accelerated shortening of telomere length (TL). Since MDD and ACE are confounded in many studies, we aimed with the current study to further disentangle the effects of MDD and ACE on TL using a full-factorial design including four carefully diagnosed groups of healthy participants and MDD patients with and without ACE (total N = 90, all without use of antidepressants). As dependent variable, TL was assessed in leukocytes. We found no group differences based on MDD and ACE exposure in TL. While TL was negatively associated with age and male sex, TL was not associated with any measure of severity of MDD, ACE or current stress. One possible explanation for our null result may be the comparatively good physical health status of our sample. Future research is needed to elucidate the relation of TL, MDD and ACE, taking potential effect modification by medication intake and physical health status into account.
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9
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Nasca C, Barnhill O, DeAngelis P, Watson K, Lin J, Beasley J, Young SP, Myoraku A, Dobbin J, Bigio B, McEwen B, Rasgon N. Multidimensional predictors of antidepressant responses: Integrating mitochondrial, genetic, metabolic and environmental factors with clinical outcomes. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 15:100407. [PMID: 34815985 PMCID: PMC8592929 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a primary psychiatric illness worldwide; there is a dearth of new mechanistic models for the development of better therapeutic strategies. Although we continue to discover individual biological factors, a major challenge is the identification of integrated, multidimensional traits underlying the complex heterogeneity of depression and treatment outcomes. Here, we set out to ascertain the emergence of the novel mitochondrial mediator of epigenetic function acetyl-L-carnitine (LAC) in relation to previously described individual predictors of antidepressant responses to the insulin-sensitizing agent pioglitazone. Herein, we report that i) subjects with MDD and shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL) show decreased levels of LAC, increased BMI, and a history of specific types of childhood trauma; and that ii) these multidimensional factors spanning mitochondrial metabolism, cellular aging, metabolic function, and childhood trauma provide more detailed signatures to predict longitudinal changes in depression severity in response to pioglitazone than individual factors. The findings of multidimensional signatures involved in the pathophysiology of depression and their role in predicting treatment outcomes provide a starting point for the development of a mechanistic framework linking biological networks and environmental factors to clinical outcomes in pursuit of personalized medicine strategies to effectively treat MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Nasca
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Rockefeller University, New York, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University, Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Neuroscience Institute, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Corresponding author. Department of Psychiatry, New York University, Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Olivia Barnhill
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Rockefeller University, New York, USA
| | - Paolo DeAngelis
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Rockefeller University, New York, USA
| | - Kathleen Watson
- Center for Neuroscience in Women's Health, Stanford University, Palo Alto, USA
| | - Jue Lin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - James Beasley
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sarah P. Young
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Biochemical Genetics Laboratory, Duke University Health System, Durham, USA
| | - Alison Myoraku
- Center for Neuroscience in Women's Health, Stanford University, Palo Alto, USA
| | - Josh Dobbin
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Rockefeller University, New York, USA
| | - Benedetta Bigio
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Rockefeller University, New York, USA
- Biostatistics and Experimental Research Design, Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Rockefeller University, New York, USA
| | - Bruce McEwen
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Rockefeller University, New York, USA
| | - Natalie Rasgon
- Center for Neuroscience in Women's Health, Stanford University, Palo Alto, USA
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10
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Increased telomerase activity in major depressive disorder with melancholic features: Possible role of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Brain Behav Immun Health 2021; 14:100259. [PMID: 34589765 PMCID: PMC8474565 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2021.100259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The biological mechanisms responsible for depression symptoms are not yet understood. For this reason, it is important to reveal the etiopathogenetic mechanisms in this disease. This study aims to compare the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), and telomerase activity in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls. Plasma BDNF, interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1beta, and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels, and telomerase activity were measured in 39 patients with major depression and 39 healthy controls matched with patients in terms of age, gender, and education year. Plasma concentration of BDNF, IL-6 levels, and telomerase activity was significantly different between patients with MDD and healthy controls. Correlation analysis showed a positive trend between plasma BDNF levels and plasma IL-6 levels in patients with MDD with melancholic features. Furthermore, the path analysis results showed that the telomerase activity was indirectly affected by gender, IL-1β, IL-6, BDNF, and BMI, via the severity of depression and anxiety and MDD status as the mediators. Further studies are needed to examine the molecular mechanism of the telomerase activity and the role of BDNF and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the telomerase activation in MDD.
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11
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Madison AA, Belury MA, Andridge R, Renna ME, Shrout MR, Malarkey WB, Lin J, Epel ES, Kiecolt-Glaser JK. Omega-3 supplementation and stress reactivity of cellular aging biomarkers: an ancillary substudy of a randomized, controlled trial in midlife adults. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:3034-3042. [PMID: 33875799 PMCID: PMC8510994 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01077-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Higher levels of omega-3 track with longer telomeres, lower inflammation, and blunted sympathetic and cardiovascular stress reactivity. Whether omega-3 supplementation alters the stress responsivity of telomerase, cortisol, and inflammation is unknown. This randomized, controlled trial examined the impact of omega-3 supplementation on cellular aging-related biomarkers following a laboratory speech stressor. In total, 138 sedentary, overweight, middle-aged participants (n = 93 women, n = 45 men) received either 2.5 g/d of omega-3, 1.25 g/d of omega-3, or a placebo for 4 months. Before and after the trial, participants underwent the Trier Social Stress Test. Saliva and blood samples were collected once before and repeatedly after the stressor to measure salivary cortisol, telomerase in peripheral blood lymphocytes, and serum anti-inflammatory (interleukin-10; IL-10) and pro-inflammatory (interleukin-6; IL-6, interleukin-12, tumor necrosis factor-alpha) cytokines. Adjusting for pre-supplementation reactivity, age, sagittal abdominal diameter, and sex, omega-3 supplementation altered telomerase (p = 0.05) and IL-10 (p = 0.05) stress reactivity; both supplementation groups were protected from the placebo group's 24% and 26% post-stress declines in the geometric means of telomerase and IL-10, respectively. Omega-3 also reduced overall cortisol (p = 0.03) and IL-6 (p = 0.03) throughout the stressor; the 2.5 g/d group had 19% and 33% lower overall cortisol levels and IL-6 geometric mean levels, respectively, compared to the placebo group. By lowering overall inflammation and cortisol levels during stress and boosting repair mechanisms during recovery, omega-3 may slow accelerated aging and reduce depression risk. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00385723.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelise A. Madison
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University College of Medicine,Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University
| | - Martha A. Belury
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University College of Medicine,Department of Human Sciences, College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University
| | - Rebecca Andridge
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University College of Medicine,College of Public Health, The Ohio State University
| | - Megan E. Renna
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University College of Medicine
| | - M. Rosie Shrout
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University College of Medicine
| | - William B. Malarkey
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University College of Medicine,Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University College of Medicine
| | - Jue Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Elissa S. Epel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Janice K. Kiecolt-Glaser
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University College of Medicine,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University College of Medicine
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12
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Pousa PA, Souza RM, Melo PHM, Correa BHM, Mendonça TSC, Simões-e-Silva AC, Miranda DM. Telomere Shortening and Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review. Cells 2021; 10:1423. [PMID: 34200513 PMCID: PMC8227190 DOI: 10.3390/cells10061423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are aging biomarkers, as they shorten while cells undergo mitosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether psychiatric disorders marked by psychological distress lead to alterations to telomere length (TL), corroborating the hypothesis that mental disorders might have a deeper impact on our physiology and aging than it was previously thought. A systematic search of the literature using MeSH descriptors of psychological distress ("Traumatic Stress Disorder" or "Anxiety Disorder" or "depression") and telomere length ("cellular senescence", "oxidative stress" and "telomere") was conducted on PubMed, Cochrane Library and ScienceDirect databases. A total of 56 studies (113,699 patients) measured the TL from individuals diagnosed with anxiety, depression and posttraumatic disorders and compared them with those from healthy subjects. Overall, TL negatively associates with distress-related mental disorders. The possible underlying molecular mechanisms that underly psychiatric diseases to telomere shortening include oxidative stress, inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction linking. It is still unclear whether psychological distress is either a cause or a consequence of telomere shortening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro A. Pousa
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Medical Investigation, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 30130-100, Brazil; (P.A.P.); (R.M.S.); (P.H.M.M.); (B.H.M.C.); (T.S.C.M.); (A.C.S.-e.-S.)
| | - Raquel M. Souza
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Medical Investigation, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 30130-100, Brazil; (P.A.P.); (R.M.S.); (P.H.M.M.); (B.H.M.C.); (T.S.C.M.); (A.C.S.-e.-S.)
| | - Paulo Henrique M. Melo
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Medical Investigation, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 30130-100, Brazil; (P.A.P.); (R.M.S.); (P.H.M.M.); (B.H.M.C.); (T.S.C.M.); (A.C.S.-e.-S.)
| | - Bernardo H. M. Correa
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Medical Investigation, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 30130-100, Brazil; (P.A.P.); (R.M.S.); (P.H.M.M.); (B.H.M.C.); (T.S.C.M.); (A.C.S.-e.-S.)
| | - Tamires S. C. Mendonça
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Medical Investigation, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 30130-100, Brazil; (P.A.P.); (R.M.S.); (P.H.M.M.); (B.H.M.C.); (T.S.C.M.); (A.C.S.-e.-S.)
| | - Ana Cristina Simões-e-Silva
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Medical Investigation, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 30130-100, Brazil; (P.A.P.); (R.M.S.); (P.H.M.M.); (B.H.M.C.); (T.S.C.M.); (A.C.S.-e.-S.)
| | - Débora M. Miranda
- Department of Pediatrics, Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 30130-100, Brazil
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13
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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. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND 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] [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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14
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PBMC telomerase activity in depression and the response to electroconvulsive therapy. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2021; 271:1297-1307. [PMID: 34268617 PMCID: PMC8429154 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-021-01294-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Telomerase, the DNA polymerase responsible for maintaining telomere length, has previously been implicated in depression and the response to antidepressant drugs. In this study, we aimed to compare telomerase activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells between patients with severe depression recruited as part of the KEEP-WELL Trial (Ketamine for Depression Relapse Prevention Following ECT; NCT02414932) and age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers both at baseline/pre-ECT and at follow-up 1 month later for controls or in patients after a course of ECT. We found no differences in telomerase activity between patients with depression (n = 20) compared to healthy controls (n = 33) at baseline/pre-ECT, or between patients treated with ECT compared to controls at follow-up. In patients, telomerase activity was not associated with mood, as assessed by the 24-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, or the duration of the current depressive episode. Additionally, we found no significant relationship between telomerase activity and exposure to recent or childhood adversity in either the patient or control groups. Overall, our results suggest that telomerase activity is not associated with depression, the therapeutic response to ECT, or exposure to adversity.
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15
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Humphreys KL, Sisk LM, Manczak EM, Lin J, Gotlib IH. Depressive Symptoms Predict Change in Telomere Length and Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number Across Adolescence. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020; 59:1364-1370.e2. [PMID: 31628984 PMCID: PMC7160006 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.09.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Several studies have found associations between a diagnosis or symptoms of major depressive disorder and markers of cellular aging and dysfunction. These investigations, however, are predominantly cross-sectional and focus on adults. In the present study, we used a prospective longitudinal design to test the cross-sectional association between depressive symptoms in adolescents and telomere length (TL) as well as mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-cn). METHOD A total of 121 adolescents (mean age = 11.38 years, SD = 1.03; 39% male adolescents and 61% female adolescents) were followed for approximately 2 years. At baseline and follow-up, participants provided saliva for DNA extraction, from which measures of TL and mtDNA-cn were obtained. Depressive symptoms were obtained via the Children's Depression Inventory. RESULTS There was no association between depressive symptoms and markers of cellular aging at baseline; however, depressive symptoms at baseline predicted higher rates of telomere erosion (β = -0.201, p = .016) and greater increases in mtDNA-cn (β = 0.190, p = .012) over the follow-up period. Markers of cellular aging at baseline did not predict subsequent changes in depressive symptoms. Furthermore, including the number of stressful life events did not alter these patterns of findings. CONCLUSION These results indicate that depressive symptoms precede changes in cellular aging and dysfunction, rather than the reverse.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jue Lin
- University of California, San Francisco
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16
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Lang J, McKie J, Smith H, McLaughlin A, Gillberg C, Shiels PG, Minnis H. Adverse childhood experiences, epigenetics and telomere length variation in childhood and beyond: a systematic review of the literature. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020; 29:1329-1338. [PMID: 30968208 PMCID: PMC7501093 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-019-01329-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted to answer the question: What epigenetic, telomeric and associated biological changes are associated with exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in the under 12s? Using PRISMA guidelines, appropriate databases were searched. 190 papers were returned with 38 articles fully reviewed. Articles were each independently quality rated by two authors using the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool and data were extracted. Of the 38 articles, 23 were rated as very high quality. Most study participants were adults (n = 7769) with n = 727 child participants. Only seven of the very/high-quality studies were prospective and involved children. Methylation was the most studied method of epigenetic modification. There is some evidence supporting epigenetic modification of certain markers in participants exposed to ACEs measured in adulthood. Research is lacking on non-coding aspects of the epigenome and on coding aspects other than DNA methylation. There is some evidence of a more powerful effect on telomere length if physical neglect was involved. Much further work is required to model biological and psychological effects of epigenetic changes during childhood using prospective study designs. The effect of ACEs on the cellular ageing process during childhood is inadequately investigated and relies solely on measure of telomere length. Future research suggestions are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Lang
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, MVLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Judith McKie
- NHS Lanarkshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for Learning Disability, Motherwell, UK
| | - Helen Smith
- NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Forensic CAMHS Team, Glasgow, UK
| | - Angela McLaughlin
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Christopher Gillberg
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, MVLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Paul G Shiels
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, MVLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Helen Minnis
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, MVLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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17
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Ryan KM, McLoughlin DM. Telomere length in depression and association with therapeutic response to electroconvulsive therapy and cognitive side-effects. Psychol Med 2020; 50:2096-2106. [PMID: 31477194 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291719002228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the most acutely effective treatment for severe treatment-resistant depression. However, there are concerns about its cognitive side-effects and we cannot yet confidently predict who will experience these. Telomeres are DNA-protein complexes that maintain genomic integrity. In somatic cells, telomeres shorten with each cell division. Telomere length (TL) can thus provide a measure of 'biological' aging. TL appears to be reduced in depression, though results are mixed. We sought to test the following hypotheses: (1) that TL would be shorter in patients with depression compared to controls; (2) that TL would be a predictor of response to ECT; and (3) that shorter TL would predict cognitive side-effects following ECT. METHOD We assessed TL in whole blood DNA collected from severely depressed patients (n = 100) recruited as part of the EFFECT-Dep Trial and healthy controls (n = 80) using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Mood and selected cognitive measures, including global cognition, re-orientation time, and autobiographical memory, were obtained pre-/post-ECT and from controls. RESULTS Our results indicate that TL does not differ between patients with depression compared to controls. TL itself was not associated with mood ratings and did not predict the therapeutic response to ECT. Furthermore, shorter baseline TL is not a predictor of cognitive side-effects post-ECT. CONCLUSIONS Overall, TL assessed by PCR does not represent a useful biomarker for predicting the therapeutic outcomes or risk for selected cognitive deficits following ECT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen M Ryan
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
- Department of Psychiatry, St. Patrick's University Hospital, Trinity College Dublin, James Street, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - Declan M McLoughlin
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
- Department of Psychiatry, St. Patrick's University Hospital, Trinity College Dublin, James Street, Dublin 8, Ireland
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Rentscher KE, Carroll JE, Mitchell C. Psychosocial Stressors and Telomere Length: A Current Review of the Science. Annu Rev Public Health 2020; 41:223-245. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
A growing literature suggests that exposure to adverse social conditions may accelerate biological aging, offering one mechanism through which adversity may increase risk for age-related disease. As one of the most extensively studied biological markers of aging, telomere length (TL) provides a valuable tool to understand potential influences of social adversity on the aging process. Indeed, a sizeable literature now links a wide range of stressors to TL across the life span. The aim of this article is to review and evaluate this extant literature with a focus on studies that investigate psychosocial stress exposures and experiences in early life and adulthood. We conclude by outlining potential biological and behavioral mechanisms through which psychosocial stress may influence TL, and we discuss directions for future research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly E. Rentscher
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA;,
| | - Judith E. Carroll
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA;,
| | - Colter Mitchell
- Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106, USA
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Salberg S, Noel M, Burke NN, Vinall J, Mychasiuk R. Utilization of a rodent model to examine the neurological effects of early life adversity on adolescent pain sensitivity. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 62:386-399. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.21922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Salberg
- Department of Psychology University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada
| | - Melanie Noel
- Department of Psychology University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada
| | - Nikita N. Burke
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada
- Comparative Biology & Experimental Medicine, and Physiology & Pharmacology University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada
| | - Jillian Vinall
- Department of Anesthesia University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada
| | - Richelle Mychasiuk
- Department of Psychology University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada
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Valiati FE, Hizo GH, Pinto JV, Kauer-Sant`Anna M. The Possible Role of Telomere Length and Chemokines in the Aging Process: A Transdiagnostic Review in Psychiatry. CURRENT PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH AND REVIEWS 2019. [DOI: 10.2174/1573400515666190719155906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Background:Psychiatric disorders are common, reaching a worldwide prevalence of 29.2%. They are associated with a high risk of premature death and with accelerated aging in clinical, molecular and neuroimaging studies. Recently, there is strong evidence suggesting a possible role of telomere length and chemokines in aging processes in psychiatric disorders.Objective:We aimed to review the literature on telomere length and chemokines and its association with early aging in mental illnesses on a transdiagnostic approach.Results:The review highlights the association between psychiatric disorders and early aging. Several independent studies have reported shorter telomere length and dysregulations on levels of circulating chemokines in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorders, suggesting a complex interaction between these markers in a transdiagnostic level. However, studies have investigated the inflammatory markers and telomere shortening separately and associated with a particular diagnosis, rather than as a transdiagnostic biological feature.Conclusion:There is consistent evidence supporting the relationship between accelerated aging, telomere length, and chemokines in mental disorders, but they have been studied individually. Thus, more research is needed to improve the knowledge of accelerated senescence and its biomarkers in psychiatry, not only individually in each diagnosis, but also based on a transdiagnostic perspective. Moreover, further research should try to elucidate how the intricate association between the chemokines and telomeres together may contribute to the aging process in psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Endler Valiati
- Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Experimental Research Center, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Henrique Hizo
- Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Experimental Research Center, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Jairo Vinícius Pinto
- Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Experimental Research Center, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Márcia Kauer-Sant`Anna
- Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Experimental Research Center, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Heim CM, Entringer S, Buss C. Translating basic research knowledge on the biological embedding of early-life stress into novel approaches for the developmental programming of lifelong health. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 105:123-137. [PMID: 30578047 PMCID: PMC6561839 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Revised: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
This review integrates scientific knowledge obtained over the past few decades on the biological mechanisms that contribute to the profound association between exposure to early adversity, including childhood trauma and prenatal stress, and the lifelong elevated risk to develop a broad range of diseases. We further discuss insights into gene-environment interactions moderating the association between early adversity and disease manifestation and we discuss the role of epigenetic and other molecular processes in the biological embedding of early adversity. Based on these findings, we propose potential mechanisms that may contribute to the intergenerational transmission of risk related to early adversity from the mother to the fetus. Finally, we argue that basic research knowledge on the biological embedding of early adversity must now be translated into novel intervention strategies that are mechanism-driven and sensitive to developmental timing. Indeed, to date, there are no diagnostic biomarkers of risk or mechanism-informed interventions that we can offer to victims of early adversity in order to efficiently prevent or reverse adverse health outcomes. Such translational efforts can be expected to have significant impact on both clinical practice and the public health system, and will promote precision medicine in pediatrics and across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine M. Heim
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany,Department of Biobehavioral Health, College of Health & Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA,Corresponding authors at: Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Luisenstr. 57, 10117 Berlin, Germany., (C.M. Heim), (S. Entringer), (C. Buss)
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany; Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, University of California Irvine, Orange, CA, USA.
| | - Claudia Buss
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany; Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, University of California Irvine, Orange, CA, USA.
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22
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Monroy-Jaramillo N, Dyukova E, Walss-Bass C. Telomere length in psychiatric disorders: Is it more than an ageing marker? World J Biol Psychiatry 2019; 19:S2-S20. [PMID: 28000540 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2016.1273550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Psychiatric and substance-use disorders have been associated with premature biological ageing. Telomere length (TL), considered an ageing marker, has been analysed in psychiatric disorders, and to a lesser extent in substance-use disorders, with recent findings suggesting TL may be related to disease pathology. METHODS We conducted a critical and non-systematic literature search of TL studies published up to June 2016 in psychiatric and substance-use disorders, focussing on studies describing mechanisms, including studies linking telomere biology with genetic factors, stress and mitochondrial alterations (104 studies selected). RESULTS Patients with major depressive disorder and anxiety appear to have shorter leukocyte telomeres compared to controls. Inconclusive results are found for other psychiatric disorders and for substance-use disorders. This may be due in part to differences in medication treatment and response, as studies suggest that some psychotropic medications may modulate TL. Importantly, some studies establish a relationship between telomere machinery, stress and mitochondria function in psychiatric and substance-use disorders. CONCLUSIONS While further longitudinal studies considering telomere genetics are needed to clarify the cause-effect link between telomeres and mitochondria function in psychiatric and substance-use disorders, the recent findings linking these biological processes suggest that telomeres may be more than ageing markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Monroy-Jaramillo
- a Translational Psychiatry Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences , McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) , Houston , TX , USA.,b Department of Genetics , National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Manuel Velasco Suarez , Mexico City , Mexico
| | - Elena Dyukova
- a Translational Psychiatry Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences , McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Consuelo Walss-Bass
- a Translational Psychiatry Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences , McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) , Houston , TX , USA
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Abstract
Telomeres are specialised structures at the end of linear chromosomes. They consist of tandem repeats of the hexanucleotide sequence TTAGGG, as well as a protein complex called shelterin. Together, they form a protective loop structure against chromosome fusion and degradation. Shortening or damage to telomeres and opening of the loop induce an uncapped state that triggers a DNA damage response resulting in senescence or apoptosis.Average telomere length, usually measured in human blood lymphocytes, was thought to be a biomarker for ageing, survival and mortality. However, it becomes obvious that regulation of telomere length is very complex and involves multiple processes. For example, the "end replication problem" during DNA replication as well as oxidative stress are responsible for the shortening of telomeres. In contrast, telomerase activity can potentially counteract telomere shortening when it is able to access and interact with telomeres. However, while highly active during development and in cancer cells, the enzyme is down-regulated in most human somatic cells with a few exceptions such as human lymphocytes. In addition, telomeres can be transcribed, and the transcription products called TERRA are involved in telomere length regulation.Thus, telomere length and their integrity are regulated at many different levels, and we only start to understand this process under conditions of increased oxidative stress, inflammation and during diseases as well as the ageing process.This chapter aims to describe our current state of knowledge on telomeres and telomerase and their regulation in order to better understand their role for the ageing process.
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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.
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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
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25
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de Punder K, Heim C, Wadhwa PD, Entringer S. Stress and immunosenescence: The role of telomerase. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 101:87-100. [PMID: 30445409 PMCID: PMC6458519 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Chronic stress is associated with the accelerated aging of the immune system and represents a potent risk factor for the development and progression of a wide range of physical and mental disorders. The elucidation of molecular pathways and mechanisms underlying the link between stress and cellular aging is an area of considerable interest and investigation. In this context, telomere biology has emerged as a particularly attractive candidate mechanism. Several studies have linked immune cell telomere length with stress-related conditions and states, and also with several physical and mental disorders. Because the cellular reverse transcriptase enzyme telomerase is the primary regulator of telomere length (by adding telomeric DNA to telomeres and thereby attenuating telomere shortening), the understanding of its regulation and regulatory functions constitutes a prime target for developing strategies to prevent, attenuate or reverse the adverse consequences of immune system aging (immunosenescence). In this review we provide an overview of the mechanistic pathways linking telomerase with stress and cellular aging, with an emphasis on the immune system. We summarize and synthesize the current state of the literature on immune cell telomerase in different stress- and aging-related disease states and provide recommendations for future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin de Punder
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Christine Heim
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany, Department of Biobehavioral Health, College of Health and Human Development, Pennsylvania State University, USA
| | - Pathik D. Wadhwa
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA, Department of Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA, Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA, Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
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26
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Agorastos A, Pervanidou P, Chrousos GP, Baker DG. Developmental Trajectories of Early Life Stress and Trauma: A Narrative Review on Neurobiological Aspects Beyond Stress System Dysregulation. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:118. [PMID: 30914979 PMCID: PMC6421311 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 184] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life stressors display a high universal prevalence and constitute a major public health problem. Prolonged psychoneurobiological alterations as sequelae of early life stress (ELS) could represent a developmental risk factor and mediate risk for disease, leading to higher physical and mental morbidity rates in later life. ELS could exert a programming effect on sensitive neuronal brain networks related to the stress response during critical periods of development and thus lead to enduring hyper- or hypo-activation of the stress system and altered glucocorticoid signaling. In addition, alterations in emotional and autonomic reactivity, circadian rhythm disruption, functional and structural changes in the brain, as well as immune and metabolic dysregulation have been lately identified as important risk factors for a chronically impaired homeostatic balance after ELS. Furthermore, human genetic background and epigenetic modifications through stress-related gene expression could interact with these alterations and explain inter-individual variation in vulnerability or resilience to stress. This narrative review presents relevant evidence from mainly human research on the ten most acknowledged neurobiological allostatic pathways exerting enduring adverse effects of ELS even decades later (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, autonomic nervous system, immune system and inflammation, oxidative stress, cardiovascular system, gut microbiome, sleep and circadian system, genetics, epigenetics, structural, and functional brain correlates). Although most findings back a causal relation between ELS and psychobiological maladjustment in later life, the precise developmental trajectories and their temporal coincidence has not been elucidated as yet. Future studies should prospectively investigate putative mediators and their temporal sequence, while considering the potentially delayed time-frame for their phenotypical expression. Better screening strategies for ELS are needed for a better individual prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agorastos Agorastos
- II. Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neurosciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Panagiota Pervanidou
- Unit of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, First Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - George P Chrousos
- Unit of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, First Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dewleen G Baker
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.,VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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27
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Willis M, Reid SN, Calvo E, Staudinger UM, Factor-Litvak P. A scoping systematic review of social stressors and various measures of telomere length across the life course. Ageing Res Rev 2018; 47:89-104. [PMID: 30048807 PMCID: PMC6195444 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2018.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Numerous studies examine the relationship between social stressors and telomere length (TL). Beyond considering methods and major findings, this scoping systematic review takes a novel approach as it groups studies according to the types of social stressor considered and by age groups. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus. We included all English-language human subject research articles that modeled any measure of TL as a dependent variable and exposure to a social stressor as an independent variable. For the sample of 105 articles, we summarized methods and findings by type of social stressor (socioeconomic stressors, stressful life events, work-related stressors, and neighborhood stressors) and by age of the study population (infants/children, middle-aged adults, older adults, and mixed samples of middle-aged and older adults). We found more variation in TL measurement methodology in studies of infants/children and older adults than in studies focusing on middle-aged adults. The most consistent finding was a relationship between early-life stressors and shorter TL. Work and neighborhood stressors, and older populations, are currently understudied. Across all stressors, limited evidence suggests that the stress-TL relationship may be moderated by characteristics such as age, sex, and race/ethnicity. We conclude with specific suggestions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Willis
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, United States.
| | - Shaina N Reid
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, United States
| | - Esteban Calvo
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, United States; Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University, United States; Society and Health Research Center, Facultad de Humanidades, Universidad Mayor, Chile; Laboratory on Aging and Social Epidemiology, Universidad Mayor, Chile
| | - Ursula M Staudinger
- Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University, United States; Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, United States
| | - Pam Factor-Litvak
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, United States
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28
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Hoppen TH, Chalder T. Childhood adversity as a transdiagnostic risk factor for affective disorders in adulthood: A systematic review focusing on biopsychosocial moderating and mediating variables. Clin Psychol Rev 2018; 65:81-151. [PMID: 30189342 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2018.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Revised: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Trudie Chalder
- Academic Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, UK
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29
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Ridout KK, Khan M, Ridout SJ. Adverse Childhood Experiences Run Deep: Toxic Early Life Stress, Telomeres, and Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number, the Biological Markers of Cumulative Stress. Bioessays 2018; 40:e1800077. [DOI: 10.1002/bies.201800077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2018] [Revised: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn K. Ridout
- Department of Psychiatry; Kaiser Permanente; San Jose CA 95123 USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior; Alpert Medical School of Brown University; Providence RI 02906 USA
| | - Mariam Khan
- Oncology Clinical Trials Department; Kaiser Permanente; San Jose CA 95123 USA
| | - Samuel J. Ridout
- Department of Psychiatry; Kaiser Permanente; San Jose CA 95123 USA
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30
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Ridout KK, Levandowski M, Ridout SJ, Gantz L, Goonan K, Palermo D, Price LH, Tyrka AR. Early life adversity and telomere length: a meta-analysis. Mol Psychiatry 2018; 23:858-871. [PMID: 28322278 PMCID: PMC5608639 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2017.26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Revised: 11/25/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Early adversity, in the form of abuse, neglect, socioeconomic status and other adverse experiences, is associated with poor physical and mental health outcomes. To understand the biologic mechanisms underlying these associations, studies have evaluated the relationship between early adversity and telomere length, a marker of cellular senescence. Such results have varied in regard to the size and significance of this relationship. Using meta-analytic techniques, we aimed to clarify the relationship between early adversity and telomere length while exploring factors affecting the association, including adversity type, timing and study design. A comprehensive search in July 2016 of PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Web of Science identified 2462 studies. Multiple reviewers appraised studies for inclusion or exclusion using a priori criteria; 3.9% met inclusion criteria. Data were extracted into a structured form; the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale assessed study quality, validity and bias. Forty-one studies (N=30 773) met inclusion criteria. Early adversity and telomere length were significantly associated (Cohen's d effect size=-0.35; 95% CI, -0.46 to -0.24; P<0.0001). Sensitivity analyses revealed no outlier effects. Adversity type and timing significantly impacted the association with telomere length (P<0.0001 and P=0.0025, respectively). Subgroup and meta-regression analyses revealed that medication use, medical or psychiatric conditions, case-control vs longitudinal study design, methodological factors, age and smoking significantly affected the relationship. Comprehensive evaluations of adversity demonstrated more extensive telomere length changes. These results suggest that early adversity may have long-lasting physiological consequences contributing to disease risk and biological aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn K. Ridout
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and
Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School
of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA,Address Correspondence to: Kathryn K. Ridout, M.D.,
Ph.D., Butler Hospital, 345 Blackstone Blvd., Providence, RI 02906. TEL: (401)
455-6270. FAX: (401) 455-6252.
| | - Mateus Levandowski
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Pontifical Catholic
University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Brazil
| | - Samuel J. Ridout
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and
Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School
of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Lindsay Gantz
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and
Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Kelly Goonan
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and
Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Daniella Palermo
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School
of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Lawrence H. Price
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and
Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School
of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Audrey R. Tyrka
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and
Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School
of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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Bateson M, Nettle D. Why are there associations between telomere length and behaviour? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 373:20160438. [PMID: 29335363 PMCID: PMC5784059 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Individual differences in telomere length are associated with individual differences in behaviour in humans and birds. Within the human epidemiological literature this association is assumed to result from specific behaviour patterns causing changes in telomere dynamics. We argue that selective adoption-the hypothesis that individuals with short telomeres are more likely to adopt specific behaviours-is an alternative worthy of consideration. Selective adoption could occur either because telomere length directly affects behaviour or because behaviour and telomere length are both affected by a third variable, such as exposure to early-life adversity. We present differential predictions of the causation and selective adoption hypotheses and describe how these could be tested with longitudinal data on telomere length. Crucially, if behaviour is causal then it should be associated with differential rates of telomere attrition. Using smoking behaviour as an example, we show that the evidence that smoking accelerates the rate of telomere attrition within individuals is currently weak. We conclude that the selective adoption hypothesis for the association between behaviour and telomere length is both mechanistically plausible and, if anything, more compatible with existing empirical evidence than the hypothesis that behaviour is causal.This article is part of the theme issue 'Understanding diversity in telomere dynamics'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Bateson
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution and Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Daniel Nettle
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution and Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
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Entringer S, de Punder K, Buss C, Wadhwa PD. The fetal programming of telomere biology hypothesis: an update. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 373:20170151. [PMID: 29335381 PMCID: PMC5784074 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on mechanisms underlying fetal programming of health and disease risk has focused primarily on processes that are specific to cell types, organs or phenotypes of interest. However, the observation that developmental conditions concomitantly influence a diverse set of phenotypes, the majority of which are implicated in age-related disorders, raises the possibility that such developmental conditions may additionally exert effects via a common underlying mechanism that involves cellular/molecular ageing-related processes. In this context, we submit that telomere biology represents a process of particular interest in humans because, firstly, this system represents among the most salient antecedent cellular phenotypes for common age-related disorders; secondly, its initial (newborn) setting appears to be particularly important for its long-term effects; and thirdly, its initial setting appears to be plastic and under developmental regulation. We propose that the effects of suboptimal intrauterine conditions on the initial setting of telomere length and telomerase expression/activity capacity may be mediated by the programming actions of stress-related maternal-placental-fetal oxidative, immune, endocrine and metabolic pathways in a manner that may ultimately accelerate cellular dysfunction, ageing and disease susceptibility over the lifespan. This perspectives paper provides an overview of each of the elements underlying this hypothesis, with an emphasis on recent developments, findings and future directions.This article is part of the theme issue 'Understanding diversity in telomere dynamics'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Entringer
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Karin de Punder
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Claudia Buss
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Pathik D Wadhwa
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, University of California, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
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33
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Epel ES, Prather AA. Stress, Telomeres, and Psychopathology: Toward a Deeper Understanding of a Triad of Early Aging. Annu Rev Clin Psychol 2018; 14:371-397. [PMID: 29494257 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032816-045054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres play an important part in aging and show relationships to lifetime adversity, particularly childhood adversity. Meta-analyses demonstrate reliable associations between psychopathology (primarily depression) and shorter telomere length, but the nature of this relationship has not been fully understood. Here, we review and evaluate the evidence for impaired telomere biology as a consequence of psychopathology or as a contributing factor, and the important mediating roles of chronic psychological stress and impaired allostasis. There is evidence for a triadic relationship among stress, telomere shortening, and psychiatric disorders that is positively reinforcing and unfolds across the life course and, possibly, across generations. We review the role of genetics and biobehavioral responses that may contribute to shorter telomere length, as well as the neurobiological impact of impaired levels of telomerase. These complex interrelationships are important to elucidate because they have implications for mental and physical comorbidity and, potentially, for the prevention and treatment of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aric A Prather
- Department of Psychiatry; Center for Health and Community; Aging, Metabolism, and Emotions Center; University of California, San Francisco, California 94118, USA; ,
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34
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Kaiser M, Kuwert P, Braehler E, Glaesmer H. Long-term effects on adult attachment in German occupation children born after World War II in comparison with a birth-cohort-matched representative sample of the German general population. Aging Ment Health 2018; 22:197-207. [PMID: 27792428 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2016.1247430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children born of war are a phenomenon of every conflict. At the end of World War II and thereafter, approximately 400,000 children were fathered by foreign soldiers and born to local women in Germany. Quantitative research on psychosocial consequences of growing up as German occupation child (GOC) has been missing so far. METHODS This study examines adult attachment and its association with current depression in GOC (N = 146) using self-report instruments: Adult Attachment Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire. Data were compared to a birth-cohort-matched representative sample of the German population (BCMS; N = 786). RESULTS GOC differ in both attachment dimensions (less comfortable with closeness/intimacy, lowered ability to depend on others) and adult attachment (more dismissive and fearful) compared to BCMS. Insecure adult attachment is associated with current depression. CONCLUSION GOC grew up under difficult circumstances (e.g. poverty, adverse events, and stigmatization). Even decades later they display more insecure attachment in current relationships. Findings underline the complex and long-term impact of their developmental conditions on attachment and current mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Kaiser
- a Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology , Leipzig University , Leipzig , Germany
| | - Philipp Kuwert
- b Department of Psychiatry at the HELIOS Hanseklinikum Stralsund , University Medicine Greifswald , Greifswald , Germany
| | - Elmar Braehler
- a Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology , Leipzig University , Leipzig , Germany.,c Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy , University Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz , Mainz , Germany
| | - Heide Glaesmer
- a Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology , Leipzig University , Leipzig , Germany
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35
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Liu JJ, Wei YB, Forsell Y, Lavebratt C. Stress, depressive status and telomere length: Does social interaction and coping strategy play a mediating role? J Affect Disord 2017; 222:138-145. [PMID: 28704801 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Revised: 06/25/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomeres have been reported to be shorter in individuals exposed to psychosocial stress and in those with depression. Since negative environmental stress is a risk factor for depression, the present study tested whether stressors in childhood (CA) and recent adulthood (NLE) predicted telomere attrition directly and/or indirectly through individuals' depressive status 3-6 years before TL measurement; and then if social interaction and coping strategies in adulthood influenced the relationship between depressive status and TL. METHODS Participants were 337 individuals with a recent depression diagnosis and 574 screened controls that derived from a longitudinal population-based cohort study conducted in Stockholm, Sweden. Relative TL was determined using qPCR. Relationships between the key variables stressors, depressive status, social interaction, coping strategies and TL were explored by path analysis in males and females, adjusting for age. RESULTS The key variables were correlated in expected directions. In females, depressive status and age had direct negative effects on TL (p < 0.05) and both CA (p = 0.025) and NLE (p < 0.003) had indirect negative effects on TL. For males, the effects of stressors and depressive status on TL were mediated by social interaction (p = 0.005) and the coping strategy worry (p = 0.005). In females, no mediation effect of social interaction and coping strategy was detected. LIMITATIONS Only little of the TL variation was explained by the models. The environmental stress information was limited. CONCLUSION Our findings propose gender-specific paths from environmental stressors through depressive status, social interaction and coping strategy to TL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Jia Liu
- Neurogenetics Unit, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ya Bin Wei
- Neurogenetics Unit, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yvonne Forsell
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Catharina Lavebratt
- Neurogenetics Unit, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Association between childhood trauma and accelerated telomere erosion in adulthood: A meta-analytic study. J Psychiatr Res 2017; 93:64-71. [PMID: 28601667 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2017.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Revised: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood trauma has long-term sequelae on health status and contributes to numbers of somatic and mental disorders in later life. Findings from experimental studies in animals suggest that telomere erosion may be a mediator of this relationship. However, results from human studies are heterogeneous. To address these inconsistencies, we performed a meta-analysis regarding the association between childhood trauma and telomere length in adulthood. METHOD Articles were identified by systematically searching the Medline, EMBASE and Web of Science databases. Twenty four studies, which include twenty six sample sets and 30,919 participants, met the inclusion criteria for meta-analyses. RESULTS This meta-analyses revealed that individuals experienced childhood trauma have accelerated telomere erosion in adulthood, with a small effect size (r = -0.05, 95% CI = -0.08-0.03, p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses by type of childhood trauma revealed a trend in difference between groups (Q = 5.24, p = 0.07). Analyses for individual trauma types revealed a significant association between childhood separation and telomere erosion (r = -0.09, p < 0.001), but not for physical abuse, sexual abuse and loss of a parent. CONCLUSION This meta-analysis demonstrated a significant association between childhood trauma and accelerated telomere erosion in adulthood, and further revealed that different trauma types have various impacts on telomere. Additional research on the mechanism that links the individual types of childhood trauma with telomere is needed in the future.
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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.
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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
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Nemeroff CB. Paradise Lost: The Neurobiological and Clinical Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect. Neuron 2016; 89:892-909. [PMID: 26938439 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 383] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In the past two decades, much evidence has accumulated unequivocally demonstrating that child abuse and neglect is associated with a marked increase in risk for major psychiatric disorders (major depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], substance and alcohol abuse, and others) and medical disorders (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, and others). Moreover, the course of psychiatric disorders in individuals exposed to childhood maltreatment is more severe. Recently, the biological substrates underlying this diathesis to medical and psychiatric morbidity have been studied. This Review summarizes many of the persistent biological alterations associated with childhood maltreatment including changes in neuroendocrine and neurotransmitter systems and pro-inflammatory cytokines in addition to specific alterations in brain areas associated with mood regulation. Finally, I discuss several candidate gene polymorphisms that interact with childhood maltreatment to modulate vulnerability to major depression and PTSD and epigenetic mechanisms thought to transduce environmental stressors into disease vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles B Nemeroff
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
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Shortened telomere length in patients with depression: A meta-analytic study. J Psychiatr Res 2016; 76:84-93. [PMID: 26919486 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2016.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2015] [Revised: 01/24/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accelerated telomere shortening is associated with stress-related cell damage and aging. Patients with depression have been shown to have shortened life expectancy and to be associated with multiple age-related systemic diseases. Previous studies have examined leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in patients with depression, but have shown inconsistent results. METHODS We conducted meta-analyses by pooling relevant results strictly from all eligible case-control studies for cross-sectional comparison of LTL between depressive patients and control subjects (16 studies involving 7207 subjects). The effect sizes (shown as Hedges' g) of each individual study were synthesized by using a random effects model. RESULTS Our analysis revealed telomere length is significantly shorter in subjects with depression in comparison to healthy controls (Hedges' g = -0.42, p = 1 × 10(-5), corresponding to r = -0.21). Significant heterogeneity among studies examining LTL in subjects with depression was found (Q = 116.07, df = 16, I(2) = 86.21%, p < 1 × 10(-8)), which can possibly be explained by methods used in measuring telomere length (Q = 18.42, df = 2, p = 1 × 10(-4)). There was no significant publication bias, nor moderating effect of age, female percentage, or illness duration of depression on synthesized results. CONCLUSIONS Our results support the hypothesis that depression is associated with accelerated cell aging. Future studies are required to clarify whether the association is mediated through environmental stress, and whether effective treatment can halt cell aging.
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Deng W, Cheung ST, Tsao SW, Wang XM, Tiwari AFY. Telomerase activity and its association with psychological stress, mental disorders, lifestyle factors and interventions: A systematic review. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 64:150-63. [PMID: 26677763 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2015] [Revised: 10/30/2015] [Accepted: 11/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To summarise and discuss the association between telomerase activity and psychological stress, mental disorders and lifestyle factors. METHOD A systematic review was carried out to identify prospective or retrospective studies and interventions published up to June 2015 that reported associations between telomerase activity and psychological stress, mental disorders and lifestyle factors. Electronic data bases of PubMed, ProQuest, CINAHL and Google Scholar were searched. RESULTS Twenty six studies on humans measured telomerase activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) or leukocytes and examined its association with psychological stress, mental disorders and lifestyle factors. Of those studies, three reported significantly decreased telomerase activity in individuals under chronic psychological stress. Interestingly, one of the three studies found that acute laboratory psychological stress significantly increased telomerase activity. Nine studies reported mixed results on association between mental disorders and telomerase activity. Of the nine studies, five reported that major depressive disorder (MDD) was associated with significantly increased telomerase activity. In thirteen out of fourteen studies on lifestyle factors, it was reported that physical exercise, diet micronutrient supplementation, mindfulness meditation, Qigong practice or yoga mediation resulted in increase in telomerase activity. In addition, two studies on animal models showed that depression-like behaviour was associated with decreased hippocampus telomerase activity. Five animal studies showed that physical exercise increased telomerase activity by cell-type-specific and genotype-specific manners. CONCLUSION Although multi-facet results were reported on the association between telomerase activity and psychological stress, mental disorders and lifestyle factors, there were some consistent findings in humans such as (1) decreased telomerase activity in individuals under chronic stress, (2) increased telomerase activity in individuals with MDD, and (3) increased telomerase activity in individuals under lifestyle interventions. Animal studies showed that physical exercise increased telomerase activity in specific cell-types. However, the exact mechanisms for the changes in telomerase activity have not been elucidated. We propose conglomerate models connecting chronic psychological stress, depression, mediation and physical exercise to telomerase activation. Several areas for future research are suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Deng
- School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - S T Cheung
- School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - S W Tsao
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - X M Wang
- School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - A F Y Tiwari
- School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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Lowe SR, Quinn JW, Richards CA, Pothen J, Rundle A, Galea S, Ressler KJ, Koenen KC, Bradley B. Childhood trauma and neighborhood-level crime interact in predicting adult posttraumatic stress and major depression symptoms. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2016; 51:212-22. [PMID: 26499372 PMCID: PMC4713249 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Revised: 09/19/2015] [Accepted: 10/02/2015] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has identified several individual-level factors that modify the risk of childhood trauma on adult psychiatric symptoms, including symptoms of major depression (MD) and posttraumatic stress (PTS). Neighborhood-level factors also influence the impact of individual-level exposures on adult psychopathology. However, no prior studies to our knowledge have explored cross-level interactions between childhood trauma and neighborhood-level factors on MD and PTS symptoms. The purpose of this study was therefore to explore cross-level interactions between a neighborhood-level factor - neighborhood-level crime - and childhood trauma on MD and PTS symptoms. Participants in this study (N=3192) were recruited from a large public hospital, and completed self-report inventories of childhood trauma and MD and PTS symptoms. Participant addresses were mapped onto 2010 census tracts, and data on crime within each tract were collected. Multilevel models found a significant cross-level interaction between childhood trauma and neighborhood crime on MD symptoms, such that the influence of high levels of childhood trauma on MD symptoms was enhanced for participants living in high-crime neighborhoods. Supplementary analyses found variation in the strength of cross-level interaction terms by types of childhood trauma and crime, with the strongest associations including emotional neglect paired with personal and property crime. The results provide preliminary support for interventions that help childhood trauma survivors find housing in less vulnerable neighborhoods and build skills to cope with neighborhood crime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R Lowe
- Department of Psychology, Montclair State University, USA
| | - James W Quinn
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, USA
| | - Catherine A Richards
- Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research, Fred Hutchinson Research Center, USA
| | | | - Andrew Rundle
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, USA
| | - Sandro Galea
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, USA
| | - Kerry J Ressler
- Department of Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Karestan C Koenen
- Department of Society, Human Development, and Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, USA
| | - Bekh Bradley
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Mental Health Service Line, and Department of Psychiatry, Emory School of Medicine, USA
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Chae DH, Epel ES, Nuru-Jeter AM, Lincoln KD, Taylor RJ, Lin J, Blackburn EH, Thomas SB. Discrimination, mental health, and leukocyte telomere length among African American men. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 63:10-6. [PMID: 26398001 PMCID: PMC5407686 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Revised: 09/02/2015] [Accepted: 09/02/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
African American men in the US experience disparities across multiple health outcomes. A common mechanism underlying premature declines in health may be accelerated biological aging, as reflected by leukocyte telomere length (LTL). Racial discrimination, a qualitatively unique source of social stress reported by African American men, in tandem with poor mental health, may negatively impact LTL in this population. The current study examined cross-sectional associations between LTL, self-reported racial discrimination, and symptoms of depression and anxiety among 92 African American men 30-50 years of age. LTL was measured in kilobase pairs using quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. Controlling for sociodemographic factors, greater anxiety symptoms were associated with shorter LTL (b=-0.029, standard error [SE]=0.014; p<0.05). There were no main effects of racial discrimination or depressive symptoms on LTL, but we found evidence for a significant interaction between the two (b=0.011, SE=0.005; p<0.05). Racial discrimination was associated with shorter LTL among those with lower levels of depressive symptoms. Findings from this study highlight the role of social stressors and individual-level psychological factors for physiologic deterioration among African American men. Consistent with research on other populations, greater anxiety may reflect elevated stress associated with shorter LTL. Racial discrimination may represent an additional source of social stress among African American men that has detrimental consequences for cellular aging among those with lower levels of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- David H. Chae
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Maryland at College Park, School of Public Health, 2234 School of Public Health, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA.,Corresponding author at Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Maryland at College Park, School of Public Health, 2234 School of Public Health, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA. Tel.: +1 301 405 6425; fax: +1 301 405 3575;
| | - Elissa S. Epel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, 3333 California Street, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
| | - Amani M. Nuru-Jeter
- Divisions of Epidemiology and Community Health and Human Development, University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health, 50 University Hall, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Karen D. Lincoln
- University of Southern California, School of Social Work, 669 West 34th Street, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Robert Joseph Taylor
- University of Michigan, School of Social Work, 1080 South University, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Jue Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, 600 16th Street, San Francisco, California 94158, USA
| | - Elizabeth H. Blackburn
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, 600 16th Street, San Francisco, California 94158, USA
| | - Stephen B. Thomas
- Department of Health Services Administration, University of Maryland at College Park, School of Public Health, 2234 School of Public Health, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
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Abstract
Telomere length (TL) is an indicator of cellular aging associated with longevity and psychosocial stress. We examine here the relationship between religious involvement and TL in 251 stressed female family caregivers recruited into a 2-site study. Religious involvement, perceived stress, caregiver burden, depressive symptoms, and social support were measured and correlated with TL in whole blood leukocytes. Results indicated a U-shaped relationship between religiosity and TL. Those scoring in the lowest 10% on religiosity tended to have the longest telomeres (5743 bp ± 367 vs. 5595 ± 383, p = 0.069). However, among the 90% of caregivers who were at least somewhat religious, religiosity was significantly and positively related to TL after controlling for covariates (B = 1.74, SE = 0.82, p = 0.034). Whereas nonreligious caregivers have relatively long telomeres, we found a positive relationship between religiosity and TL among those who are at least somewhat religious.
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Mason SM, Prescott J, Tworoger SS, DeVivo I, Rich-Edwards JW. Childhood Physical and Sexual Abuse History and Leukocyte Telomere Length among Women in Middle Adulthood. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124493. [PMID: 26053088 PMCID: PMC4459951 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2014] [Accepted: 03/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Abuse victimization in childhood is associated with a variety of age-related cardiometabolic diseases, but the mechanisms remain unknown. Telomeres, which form the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes, have been proposed as measures of biological age, and a growing body of research suggests that telomere attrition may help to explain relationships between stress and cardiometabolic degradation. We examined the association between childhood abuse victimization and leukocyte telomere length among 1,135 participants in the Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII). METHODS The NHSII ascertained physical and sexual child abuse histories in 2001. Telomere length was measured in genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes collected between 1996 and 1999. The ratio of telomere repeat copy number to a single gene copy number (T/S) was determined by a modified version of the quantitative real-time PCR telomere assay. Telomere length was log-transformed and corrected for assay variation across batch. We regressed telomere length on childhood abuse exposure variables and covariates using linear regression. RESULTS We observed a reduction in telomere length associated with moderate physical abuse versus no physical abuse, but there was no evidence of a dose-response relationship for increased severity of physical abuse. No associations were noted for sexual abuse. CONCLUSIONS We found no evidence of an association between severity of childhood physical or sexual abuse and leukocyte telomere length in the NHSII.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan M. Mason
- Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Prescott
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Program in Genetic Epidemiology and Statistical Genetics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Shelley S. Tworoger
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Immaculata DeVivo
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Program in Genetic Epidemiology and Statistical Genetics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Janet W. Rich-Edwards
- Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Blaze J, Asok A, Roth TL. The long-term impact of adverse caregiving environments on epigenetic modifications and telomeres. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:79. [PMID: 25904853 PMCID: PMC4389567 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2014] [Accepted: 03/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Early childhood is a sensitive period in which infant-caregiver experiences have profound effects on brain development and behavior. Clinical studies have demonstrated that infants who experience stress and adversity in the context of caregiving are at an increased risk for the development of psychiatric disorders. Animal models have helped to elucidate some molecular substrates of these risk factors, but a complete picture of the biological basis remains unknown. Studies continue to indicate that environmentally-driven epigenetic modifications may be an important mediator between adverse caregiving environments and psychopathology. Epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation, which normally represses gene transcription, and microRNA processing, which interferes with both transcription and translation, show long-term changes throughout the brain and body following adverse caregiving. Recent evidence has also shown that telomeres (TTAGGG nucleotide repeats that cap the ends of DNA) exhibit long-term changes in the brain and in the periphery following exposure to adverse caregiving environments. Interestingly, telomeric enzymes and subtelomeric regions are subject to epigenetic modifications—a factor which may play an important role in regulating telomere length and contribute to future mental health. This review will focus on clinical and animal studies that highlight the long-term epigenetic and telomeric changes produced by adverse caregiving in early-life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Blaze
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware Newark, DE, USA
| | - Arun Asok
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware Newark, DE, USA
| | - Tania L Roth
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware Newark, DE, USA
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