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Nuttman-Shwartz O. The Long-Term Effects of Living in a Shared and Continuous Traumatic Reality: The Case of Israeli Families on the Border With Gaza. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2023; 24:1387-1404. [PMID: 34962839 DOI: 10.1177/15248380211063467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
This article presents a literature review of the concept of intergenerational transmission of traumatic stress among a specific population of Israeli parents and children living near the Israeli/Gaza border, an area that can essentially be viewed as a laboratory of shared, continuous, and stressful reality resulting from ongoing political violence. The Google Scholar database was used to search only for peer-reviewed articles written in English and published between 2002 and 2020, and the particular focus of the study was Israeli families living in the "Gaza envelope": communities that have been on the receiving end of rockets and mortars from Gaza for the past 20 years. The review was based on 35 articles and sheds light on the existence of studies using a variety of perspectives (e.g., psychological, biopsychosocial, and behavioral). Findings demonstrate the effects of continuous stress situations on the family dynamic, even before birth, among this small population. In addition, they show that to understand the unique process of intergenerational trauma transmission in a shared continuous traumatic reality, it is important to adopt a comprehensive perspective so as to understand the reciprocal, long-lasting, and transgenerational effects of being exposed to traumatic stress. This perspective can be used as a basis for developing family intervention strategies that are appropriate for preventing stress outcomes that derive from living in the context of persistent violence.
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Tsur N, Talmon A. Post-Traumatic Orientation to Bodily Signals: A Systematic Literature Review. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2023; 24:174-188. [PMID: 34159853 DOI: 10.1177/15248380211025237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Theoretical literature suggests that trauma and (PTSD) may instigate changes in the interpretation of bodily signals. Some findings support these inquiries, revealing that exposure to traumatic events and PTSD are associated with pain catastrophizing, body vigilance, fear of pain, and other manifestations of bodily perceptions and interpretations. However, these findings are not integrated into an inclusive empirically based conceptualization, thus leading to a limited comprehension of this phenomenon. This systematic literature review was conducted to synthesize the existing literature referring to orientation to bodily signals. Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, the review included a final of 48 manuscripts that addressed orientation to bodily signals among participants (aged 18 and above) and its potential associations with PTSD. The review revealed that most studies assessed one orientation manifestation, which was tested for its link to PTSD. The majority of the manuscripts were cross-sectional and included participants who faced combat, vehicle accidents, or various types of traumas. Only five manuscripts focused on interpersonal trauma and abuse. Most manuscripts reported significant correlations, revealing that trauma and PTSD are associated with a negative, catastrophic and frightful interpretation of bodily signals. These findings emphasize the need to encapsulate the various manifestations of orientation to bodily signals under a unified construct, as proposed by the term post-traumatic orientation to bodily signals. Further research is needed to illuminate the circumstances and processes by which trauma is implicated in post-traumatic orientation to bodily signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noga Tsur
- Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Ada Talmon
- Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Israel
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Aloni R, Ginzburg K, Solomon Z. Trajectories analysis of comorbid depression and anxiety among Israeli veterans: The implications on cognitive performance. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 156:55-61. [PMID: 36242944 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Among war veterans, research has indicated high rates of depression, anxiety, and comorbidity of these disorders, with even higher rates among prisoners-of-war. However, little is known about the longitudinal effects of comorbidity profiles on cognitive performance, particularly in the case of aging war veterans. METHOD This longitudinal study focuses on Israeli veterans from the 1973 Yom Kippur War, with assessments at four time-points: 1991 (T1), 2003 (T2), 2008 (T3), and 2015 (T4). Two groups were included: veterans who were held captive (ex-POWs; n = 196), and veterans who were not (war veterans; n = 159). Participants completed validated self-report measures, and their cognitive performance was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). RESULTS Three distinct profiles of comorbidity were identified: resiliency (57.5%, n = 204); delayed-onset (29.6%, n = 105), and chronic (13.00%, n = 46). The chronic profile identified mostly among ex-POW (91.3%, n = 42), veterans with lower education at T1, and with more cognitively impaired compared to the other profiles (p < .0001). No differences were found between the profiles in age and family status at T1. CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight the importance of viewing aging veterans as a high-risk population for cognitive impairments, particularly those suffering from chronic comorbidity of depression and anxiety. Therefore, the appropriate diagnosis and cognitive treatment are required to preserve cognitive abilities and prevent decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy Aloni
- Department of Psychology, Ariel University, Kiryat HaMada 3, Ariel, Israel.
| | - Karni Ginzburg
- Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Chaim Levanon 30, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Zahava Solomon
- Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Chaim Levanon 30, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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Steinhart Y, Nitzan I, Goldenberg J, Mazursky D. The positive effect of physical constraints on consumer evaluations of service providers. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275348. [PMID: 36215296 PMCID: PMC9550037 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Consumers tend to have negative perceptions of service providers that limit their freedom. People might therefore be expected to respond particularly negatively to service providers that physically limit their freedom of movement. Yet, we suggest that physical constraints that a service provider unapologetically imposes with no obvious logical justification (e.g., closing a door and restricting consumers to stay inside a room) may, in fact, boost consumers' evaluations of the service provider. We propose that this effect occurs because consumers perceive such constraints as creating a structured environment, which they inherently value. Six studies lend converging support to these propositions, while ruling out alternative accounts (cognitive dissonance, self-attribution theory). We further show that the positive effect of physical constraints on evaluations is reversed when consumers perceive the constraints as excessively restrictive (rather than mild). These findings suggest that service providers may benefit from creating consumption conditions that mildly restrict consumers' freedom of movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yael Steinhart
- Coller School of Management, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- * E-mail:
| | - Irit Nitzan
- Coller School of Management, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | | | - David Mazursky
- School of Business Administration, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
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Bürgin D, Clemens V, Varghese N, Eckert A, Huber M, Bruttin E, Boonmann C, Unternährer E, O'Donovan A, Schmid M. Adverse and traumatic exposures, posttraumatic stress disorder, telomere length, and hair cortisol – Exploring associations in a high-risk sample of young adult residential care leavers. Brain Behav Immun Health 2022; 26:100524. [PMID: 36213488 PMCID: PMC9535425 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2022.100524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Childhood adversities (CAs), potentially traumatic exposures (PTEs), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are known to increase the risk for poor health outcomes, including diseases of aging and early mortality. Telomere length (TL) and hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) are biomarkers known to be associated with CA and PTEs, and PTSD, but there is considerable heterogeneity in findings. Objectives This study aims to investigate the association of CAs, PTEs, and PTSD with TL and HCC in a high-risk sample of young adults who were previously placed in youth residential care institutions throughout Switzerland. Method Our sample includes 130 participants (30.8% women, M Age = 26.5 ± 3.7 years) with previous youth residential care placements (MPlacements= 3.9). CAs and PTEs, as well as PTSD, were assessed with self-reported questionnaires and semi-structured clinical interviews. Immune cell TL was measured with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in whole blood. Hair samples were collected for HCC measurement and assayed with high-sensitivity ELISA. Multivariate regression models were fitted to describe the associations between CAs, PTEs, and PTSD with TL and HCC, adjusting for covariates. Results In our high-risk sample, a higher burden of CAs, PTEs, Criterion A trauma, and PTSD was associated with longer TL. PTEs, Criterion A trauma, and PTSD were associated with lower HCC, however no significant associations between CAs and HCC were found. The magnitude of these effects varied depending on the dimensional or categorical nature of the stress-phenotype and the specific measure used. Conclusions Our findings are in contrast with many, but not all, previous studies of associations between adversity and both TL and HCC. For instance, our findings are in line with other studies that find a state of hypocortisolism in PTSD. Better measurement of adversities and trauma, multisystem biomarker approaches, and more research in larger high-risk samples at the upper end of the adversity-continuum is warranted. In this high-risk sample,childhood adversities, potential traumatic exposures, criterion A trauma, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was associated with longer telomere length (TL). Potentially traumatic exposures, criterion A trauma, and PTSD were associated with lower hair cortisol concentrations. The magnitude of these effects varied depending on the dimensional or categorical nature of the stress-phenotype and the specific measure used. Hypocortisolism might explain findings of longer TL in participants with cumulated adverse and traumatic exposures. Research in high-risk populations is strongly needed as results across the entire spectrum of adversity exposures may not generalize to the top end of the spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Bürgin
- Research Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Hospitals Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
- San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Corresponding author. University Psychiatric Hospitals Basel Research Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Wilhelm-Klein Strasse 27, 4056, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Vera Clemens
- Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Nimmy Varghese
- Neurobiological Laboratory for Brain Aging and Mental Health, Transfaculty Research Platform, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anne Eckert
- Neurobiological Laboratory for Brain Aging and Mental Health, Transfaculty Research Platform, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mara Huber
- Research Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Hospitals Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Evelyne Bruttin
- Research Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Hospitals Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Cyril Boonmann
- Research Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Hospitals Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Eva Unternährer
- Research Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Hospitals Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Aoife O'Donovan
- Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
- San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Marc Schmid
- Research Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Hospitals Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Avidor S, Zerach G, Solomon Z. Aging together in the aftermath of war: marital adjustment and subjective age of veterans and their spouses. Aging Ment Health 2022; 26:1479-1486. [PMID: 33896297 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2021.1916877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Trauma has long-term effects on those directly exposed to it, but it also impacts those closest to them, particularly one's spouse, as the marital relationship is of central importance for late-life development. Furthermore, traumatic experiences have been shown to be involved in an acceleration of aging, whether through physical health, or via psychological pathways, through an older subjective age. The present work seeks to examine the mutual connections between marital adjustment and the psychological accelerated aging of both spouses among military veterans of the Israeli 1973 Yom Kippur War. METHOD Data from two assessments were drawn from a larger longitudinal study. In 2008 (T1) and again in 2015 (T2), 247 veterans and their wives were interviewed on their subjective age, marital adjustment, and PTSD symptoms. RESULTS An actor-partner interdependence model combined with an autoregressive cross-lagged model, controlling for T1 PTSD symptoms revealed that men's subjective age at T1 was associated with women's subjective age at T2, and women's subjective age at T1 was associated with men's subjective age at T2. Women's marital adjustment at T1 was associated with men's marital adjustment at T2 but not the other way around. CONCLUSION Spousal relationships are an important arena in the lives of older adult veterans. The present study contributes new knowledge regarding the paths that predict subjective age by taking account of the subjective age of one's spouse, as well as levels of marital adjustment. Insights regarding secondary traumatization, as well as gender differences, for the aging process are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Avidor
- Faculty of Social and Community Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Emek Hefer, Israel
| | - Gadi Zerach
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Psychology, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
| | - Zahava Solomon
- I-Core Research Center for Mass Trauma, Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Hauber D, Zank S. WWII trauma impacts physical and mental health in the oldest old: results from a German population-based study. Aging Ment Health 2022; 26:834-842. [PMID: 33554646 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2021.1876637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Epidemiological studies in different traumatised samples indicate an increased risk for numerous physical and mental diseases. It is suspected that this is due to chronic changes in fundamental processes in the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems, which take years to manifest pathologically. Previous studies have considered intervals of a few decades. However, little is known about whether a link between trauma and physical and mental health can be established over very long periods of time and in the oldest old population. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 1,299 German citizens aged 80 and above were interviewed about on-going suffering from the effects of traumatic World War II (WWII) events as well as about physical and mental health. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the impact of suffering from the effects of traumatic events on general health, several medical conditions, multimorbidity, pain, and depression. RESULTS 43.94% of the oldest old were still suffering from the effects of traumatic events in connection with WWII. Participants who were still suffering from the effects of traumatic events were more likely to be treated for heart failure, blood diseases, bladder problems, back pain, respiratory or lung diseases, and sleep disorders. They also had poorer general health, higher multimorbidity, more pain, and higher depression scores. DISCUSSION Findings suggest that chronic psychological suffering from the effects of traumatic events in early life is associated with impaired physical and mental health even seven decades after the events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Hauber
- Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Susanne Zank
- Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Cologne Center for Ethics, Rights, Economics, and Social Sciences of Health, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Katz C, Tsur N, Nicolet R, Carmel N, Klebanov B. Children's Responses to Maltreatment: Key Conclusions From a Systematic Literature Review. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2021; 22:1155-1168. [PMID: 32116133 DOI: 10.1177/1524838020908851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Child maltreatment (CM) has received much research attention in recent years, leading to the enormous development of services provided to children worldwide. However, although the literature in the field of trauma studies recognizes that responses to trauma are of central importance, for a variety of reasons, the research on this subject is sparse. The current systematic literature review was therefore designed to characterize and analyze the existing knowledge on children's responses to CM, while putting in focus all possible responses that will appear in the identified manuscripts. Key databases were explored using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, and only six studies were identified as relevant to the focus of the current study. Utilizing thematic analysis, the results addressed four main themes: the studies' methodologies, the terminology and responses that were explored in these studies, the abuse-related factors and contexts that were taken into account, and the consequences for the children (of their responses to the maltreatment). A key conclusion from this review is that concepts in this area, as well as theory, are considerably lacking. Promoting the development of theory regarding children's responses to CM is urgently needed, as it will greatly impact clinical intervention, legal investigation, and the development of prevention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmit Katz
- Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Noga Tsur
- Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Racheli Nicolet
- Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Nir Carmel
- Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Bella Klebanov
- Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Israel
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Muniz Carvalho C, Wendt FR, Pathak GA, Maihofer AX, Stein DJ, Sumner JA, Hemmings SM, Nievergelt CM, Koenen KC, Gelernter J, Belangero SI, Polimanti R. Disentangling sex differences in the shared genetic architecture of posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic experiences, and social support with body size and composition. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 15:100400. [PMID: 34611531 PMCID: PMC8477211 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a well-known association of traumatic experiences and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with body size and composition, including consistent differences between sexes. However, the biology underlying these associations is unclear. To understand the genetic underpinnings of this complex relationship, we investigated genome-wide datasets informative of African and European ancestries from the Psychiatric Genomic Consortium, the UK Biobank, the GIANT Consortium, and the Million Veteran Program. We used genome-wide association statistics to estimate sex-specific genetic correlations (r g ) of traumatic experiences, social support, and PTSD with multiple anthropometric traits. After multiple testing corrections (false discovery rate, FDR q < 0.05), we observed 58 significant r g relationships in females (e.g., childhood physical abuse and body mass index, BMI r g = 0.245, p = 3.88 × 10-10) and 21 significant r g relationships in males (e.g., been involved in combat or exposed to warzone and leg fat percentage; r g = 0.405, p = 4.42 × 10-10). We performed causal inference analyses of these genetic overlaps using Mendelian randomization and latent causal variable approaches. Multiple female-specific putative causal relationships were observed linking body composition/size with PTSD (e.g., leg fat percentage→PTSD; beta = 0.319, p = 3.13 × 10-9), traumatic experiences (e.g., childhood physical abuse→waist circumference; beta = 0.055, p = 5.07 × 10-4), and childhood neglect (e.g., "someone to take you to doctor when needed as a child"→BMI; beta = -0.594, p = 1.09 × 10-5). In males, we observed putative causal effects linking anthropometric-trait genetic liabilities to traumatic experiences (e.g., BMI→childhood physical abuse; beta = 0.028, p = 8.19 × 10-3). Some of these findings were replicated in individuals of African descent although the limited sample size available did not permit us to conduct a sex-stratified analysis in this ancestry group. In conclusion, our findings provide insights regarding sex-specific causal networks linking anthropometric traits to PTSD, traumatic experiences, and social support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Muniz Carvalho
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine and VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Frank R. Wendt
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine and VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Gita A. Pathak
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine and VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Adam X. Maihofer
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Dan J. Stein
- MRC Unit on Risk & Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jennifer A. Sumner
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sian M.J. Hemmings
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Caroline M. Nievergelt
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Karestan C. Koenen
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Joel Gelernter
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine and VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- Departments of Genetics and Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Sintia I. Belangero
- Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Genetics Division, Department of Morphology and Genetics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Renato Polimanti
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine and VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
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Page RL, Han G, Akinlotan M, Patron MP, Gandhi H, Kochan KJ. Telomere Length and Preterm Birth in Pregnant Mexican-Origin Women. Matern Child Health J 2021; 25:1798-1805. [PMID: 34390428 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-021-03209-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Despite the obstacles of limited education and employment opportunities-and the stress associated with immigration and pregnancy-Mexican immigrant women have low rates of preterm birth (PTB) compared to the US national average for all races and ethnicities. Stressors during pregnancy, and stressors associated with acculturation, may accelerate cellular aging manifested by shortened telomere length (TL) in pregnant women. Our objectives were to: (1) determine whether women with PTBs had shorter telomere lengths compared to women who had full term births; (2) assess the association of acculturation with TL and PTB. METHODS This prospective pilot study collected data from 100 self-identified Mexican-origin pregnant women. Survey data included self-administered sociodemographic and acculturation measures and was collected from participants via paper and pen, while biologic data was collected via a single blood draw during a regularly scheduled prenatal visit between 26 and 36 weeks gestation. PTB data was collected from the participant's medical record after delivery. RESULTS TL was significantly associated with PTB; the median TL of the women with PTB was less than the median TL for the full sample (p = 0.02). Based on regression analysis for PTB vs acculturation, we found no significant associations between acculturation and PTB or TL. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE This study provides important evidence of the association between shortened maternal TL and adverse birth outcomes. By linking social, clinical and biologic data, we can enhance our understanding of social determinants that may affect racial and ethnic disparities in preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin L Page
- Texas A&M University College of Nursing, 1359 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
| | - Gang Han
- School of Public Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Marvellous Akinlotan
- Texas A&M University College of Nursing, 1359 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | | | - Heta Gandhi
- Texas A&M University School of Public Health, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Kelli J Kochan
- Texas A&M University Institute for Genome Sciences and Society Experimental Genomics Laboratory, College Station, TX, USA
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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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12
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Le CM, Le TH. Premature Aging Among Trauma Survivors-The Longitudinal Implications of Sleep Disruptions on Telomere Length and Cognitive Performance. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2021; 76:262-272. [PMID: 31155651 PMCID: PMC8046532 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbz077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Revised: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Sleep is necessary for brain function as well as physical and cognitive processes. Sleep disruptions, common with aging, intensify among trauma survivors. Moreover, former prisoners-of-war (ex-POWs) often experience premature aging. This study investigates the longitudinal effects of sleep disruptions for ex-POWs in relation to cognitive performance and telomere length as well as between cognition and telomeres. METHOD This study included Israeli veterans from the 1973 Yom Kippur War who participated in four assessments (1991, 2003, 2008, 2015): (a) ex-POWs (n = 99), and (b) veterans who not were captured (controls) (n = 101). Among both groups, sleep disruptions were assessed using a self-report item in all four assessments. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) and telomere length was assessed via total white blood cells (leukocytes) from whole blood samples using Southern blot, both were measured only among ex-POWs in 2015. We conducted descriptive statistics, repeated measures, correlations, and path analyses. RESULTS Sleep disruptions were related to lower cognitive performance but not to shorter telomeres. Moreover, cognitive performance and telomere length were found to be related when sleep disruptions were taken into consideration. CONCLUSION Interpersonal trauma was shown to be a unique experience resulting in sleep disruptions over time, leading to cognitive impairment. These findings highlight the importance of viewing trauma survivors at high-risk for sleep disruptions. Therefore, it is imperative to inquire about sleep and diagnose cognitive disorders to help identify and treat premature aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuong Manh Le
- Faculty of Building Material, National University of Civil Engineering, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
| | - Thu-Huong Le
- Faculty of Chemistry and Environment, Thuyloi University, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
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13
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Loneliness and subjective physical health among war veterans: Long term reciprocal effects. Soc Sci Med 2019; 234:112373. [DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 05/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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14
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Gillis JC, Chang SC, Wang W, Simon NM, Normand SL, Rosner BA, Blacker D, DeVivo I, Okereke OI. The relation of telomere length at midlife to subsequent 20-year depression trajectories among women. Depress Anxiety 2019; 36:565-575. [PMID: 30958913 PMCID: PMC6548605 DOI: 10.1002/da.22892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomeres cap and protect DNA but shorten with each somatic cell division. Aging and environmental and lifestyle factors contribute to the speed of telomere attrition. Current evidence suggests a link between relative telomere length (RTL) and depression but the directionality of the relationship remains unclear. We prospectively examined associations between RTL and subsequent depressive symptom trajectories. METHODS Among 8,801 women of the Nurses' Health Study, depressive symptoms were measured every 4 years from 1992 to 2012; group-based trajectories of symptoms were identified using latent class growth-curve analysis. Multinomial logistic models were used to relate midlife RTLs to the probabilities of assignment to subsequent depressive symptom trajectory groups. RESULTS We identified four depressive symptom trajectory groups: minimal depressive symptoms (62%), worsening depressive symptoms (14%), improving depressive symptoms (19%), and persistent-severe depressive symptoms (5%). Longer midlife RTLs were related to significantly lower odds of being in the worsening symptoms trajectory versus minimal trajectory but not to other trajectories. In comparison with being in the minimal symptoms group, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio of being in the worsening depressive symptoms group was 0.78 (95% confidence interval, 0.62-0.97; p = 0.02), for every standard deviation increase in baseline RTL. CONCLUSIONS In this large prospective study of generally healthy women, longer telomeres at midlife were associated with significantly lower risk of a subsequent trajectory of worsening mood symptoms over 20 years. The results raise the possibility of telomere shortening as a novel contributing factor to late-life depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Cai Gillis
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA,,Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 181 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Shun-Chiao Chang
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 181 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Wei Wang
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 181 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Naomi M. Simon
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA,Department of Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine, One Park Avenue, New York NY 10016
| | - Sharon-Lise Normand
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA,,Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, 180 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Bernard A. Rosner
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA,,Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 181 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Deborah Blacker
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Immaculata DeVivo
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Olivia I. Okereke
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA,,Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 181 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA,,Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
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15
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Chen X, Zeng C, Gong C, Zhang L, Wan Y, Tao F, Sun Y. Associations between early life parent-child separation and shortened telomere length and psychopathological outcomes during adolescence. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 103:195-202. [PMID: 30711896 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Given the ethical limitations of exposing children to experimentally manipulated adverse experiences, evidence of the effects of parent-child separation on subsequent psychopathology are based mostly on animal studies. Left-behind children phenomenon resulting from rural-urban mobility in China offers unique "natural experiments" to explore the long-term physical and mental health consequences of parent-child separation in childhood. OBJECTIVE To test the associations between parent-child separation with telomere length (TL) and psychopathology during adolescence. METHOD A total of 710 adolescents (age: M = 16.86, SD = 1.52) were recruited from local schools in rural area of Fuyang, one of the top inland areas for outward migration in Anhui province, China. Parent-child separation was collected through face to face interview. The MacArthur Health & Behavior Questionnaire (HBQ) was used to assess internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to measure buccal TL. RESULTS Nearly 60% (399/695) of the participants experienced separation from both parents. Childhood or persistent separation from parents was associated with increased internalizing symptoms (childhood: β = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.23; persistent: β = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.31), increased externalizing symptoms (childhood: β = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.32; persistent: β = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.10, 0.35) and shorter telomere length (childhood: β = -0.16, 95% CI: -0.26, -0.05; persistent: β = -0.13, 95% CI: -0.22, -0.03). Shortened TL was estimated to explain 15.2% and 12.7% of the total effect of separation on internalizing and externalizing symptoms, while internalizing and externalizing symptoms explained 23.4% and 12.3% of the effect of separation on shortened TL. CONCLUSION Childhood and persistent parent-child separation, as experienced by rural left-behind children in China, associates with increased vulnerability for psychopathological symptoms and makers of cellular aging. The challenge for future research is to determine whether short telomere length is in fact a long-term consequence or an underlying vulnerability factor for future mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingxing Chen
- Department of Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health & Aristogenics, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Chenchen Zeng
- Fuyang Vocational Technical College, Fuyang, Anhui Province, China
| | - Chun Gong
- Department of Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health & Aristogenics, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health & Aristogenics, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Yuhui Wan
- Department of Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health & Aristogenics, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Fangbiao Tao
- Department of Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health & Aristogenics, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Ying Sun
- Department of Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health & Aristogenics, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
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16
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Ein-Dor T, Hirschberger G, Tsur N, Mikulincer M, Bazak SB, Solomon Z. The link between attachment orientations and cellular aging among former prisoners of war. Attach Hum Dev 2019; 22:352-366. [PMID: 30909807 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2019.1589545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Ex-prisoners of war (ex-POWs) experience prolonged distress that in some cases may influence their cellular aging (telomere length). The current research examines whether attachment orientations of ex-POWs and their spouses can explain individual differences in telomere length 40 years after the experience of captivity.Methods: Eighty-eight Israeli ex-POWs were assessed at four time points since captivity, whereas their spouses at three time points. Attachment orientations (anxiety, avoidance) were assessed in three time points and telomere length was measured at time four.Results: Findings indicated that ex-POWs' attachment avoidance was associated with shorter telomere length. In addition, spouses' attachment anxiety was associated with shorter telomere length among ex-POWs, whereas spouses' attachment avoidance was unexpectedly related to longer telomere length among ex-POWs.Conclusions: Results suggest that the effects of trauma on cellular aging are not uniform and that intrapersonal and interpersonal variables may moderate responses to trauma at the cellular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsachi Ein-Dor
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya, Herzliya, Israel
| | - Gilad Hirschberger
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya, Herzliya, Israel
| | - Noga Tsur
- I-Core Research Center for Mass Trauma, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.,Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Mario Mikulincer
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya, Herzliya, Israel.,I-Core Research Center for Mass Trauma, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Shira Buchris Bazak
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya, Herzliya, Israel
| | - Zahava Solomon
- I-Core Research Center for Mass Trauma, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.,Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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17
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Zerach G, Shevlin M, Cloitre M, Solomon Z. Complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) following captivity: a 24-year longitudinal study. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2019; 10:1616488. [PMID: 31191830 PMCID: PMC6541897 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2019.1616488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Revised: 04/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The World Health Organization(WHO) International Classification of Diseases, 11th version (ICD-11), has proposed a new trauma-related diagnosis of complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD), separate and distinct from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, to date, no study has examined CPTSD over time. Objectives: This prospective study aimed to examine predictors and outcomes of latent classes of PTSD and CPTSD following war captivity. Method: A sample of 183 Israeli former prisoners of the 1973 Yom Kippur War (ex-POWs) participated in a 24-year longitudinal study with three waves of measurements (T1: 1991, T2: 2008, and T3: 2015). Participants completed validated self-report measures, and their cognitive performance was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Results: Estimated rates of PTSD and CPTSD were high at all waves, with PTSD rates higher than CPTSD. A Latent Class Analysis (LCA) identified three main classes at T2: (1) a small class with low probability to meet PTSD and CPTSD clusters criteria (15.26%); (2) a class high only in PTSD symptoms (42.37%) and (3) a class high only in CPTSD symptoms (42.37%). Importantly, higher levels of psychological suffering in captivity at T1 were associated with higher odds of being in the CPTSD class at T2. In addition, CPTSD at T2 was more strongly associated with low self-rated health, functional impairment, and cognitive performance at T3, compared to the PTSD only class. Conclusions: Adulthood prolonged trauma of severe interpersonal intensity such as war captivity is related to CPTSD, years after the end of the war. Exposure to psychological suffering in captivity is a risk factor for future endorsement of CPTSD symptoms. CPTSD among ex-POWs is a marker for future dire mental health and functional consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gadi Zerach
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Psychology, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
| | - Mark Shevlin
- School of Psychology, Ulster University, Coleraine Campus, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
| | - Marylene Cloitre
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,National Center for PTSD, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Zahava Solomon
- Center of Excellence for Mass Trauma Research, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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18
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Cohn E, Lurie I, Yang YX, Bilker WB, Haynes K, Mamtani R, Shacham-Shmueli E, Margalit O, Boursi B. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Cancer Risk: A Nested Case-Control Study. J Trauma Stress 2018; 31:919-926. [PMID: 30520529 DOI: 10.1002/jts.22345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 08/19/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Data regarding cancer risk for individuals who were exposed to traumatic and stressful life events are conflicting. We sought to evaluate the association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the risk of the four most common solid tumors: lung, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers. We conducted four nested case-control studies using a large UK population-based database. Cases were defined as individuals with any medical code for the specific malignancy. For every case, we used incidence-density sampling to match four controls by age, sex, practice site, and both duration and calendar time of follow-up. Exposure of interest was any diagnosis of PTSD prior to cancer diagnosis. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for cancer risk associated with PTSD were estimated using multivariable conditional logistic regression and were adjusted for smoking status, obesity, and antidepressant use. The study population included four case groups according to cancer type. There were 19,143 cases with lung cancer (74,473 matched controls), 22,163 cases with colorectal cancer (86,538 matched controls), 31,352 cases with breast cancer (123,285 matched controls), and 27,212 cases with prostate cancer (105,940 matched controls). There was no statistically significant association between PTSD and cancer risk among any of the cancer types: lung, OR = 0.73, 95% CI [0.43, 1.23]; breast, OR = 0.73, 95% CI [0.52, 1.01]; prostate, OR = 1.24, 95% CI [0.87, 1.77]; and colorectal, OR = 1.05, 95% CI [0.68, 1.62]. Our findings indicated that participants in our study with PTSD were not at increased risk of lung, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elana Cohn
- Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Ido Lurie
- Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.,Shalvata Mental Health Center, Hod Hasharon, Israel
| | - Yu-Xiao Yang
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Warren B Bilker
- Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kevin Haynes
- Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ronac Mamtani
- Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Einat Shacham-Shmueli
- Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.,Department of Oncology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Ofer Margalit
- Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.,Department of Oncology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Ben Boursi
- Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.,Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Oncology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
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19
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Traumatic stress and cellular senescence: The role of war-captivity and homecoming stressors in later life telomere length. J Affect Disord 2018; 238:129-135. [PMID: 29879607 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.05.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Revised: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomere length (TL) serves as a biomarker of cellular senescence and is a robust predictor of mortality. The association between traumatic stress and TL erosion is rapidly realized, as are the complexities of this relation that include links to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and psychosocial factors. Nevertheless, the relation between specific stressors in early adulthood and TL in later life, specifically among populations that have undergone extreme stress in early adulthood are largely uninvestigated. METHOD Examining 99 Israeli former prisoners of war (ex-POWs) 18 and 42 years after repatriation, the current study investigated the role that specific stressors during captivity (i.e., physical abuse, nourishment deprivation and solitary confinement) and homecoming (i.e., received social-support, loss of place in the family, loneliness and sense of being accused) play in predicting TL 42 years post-repatriation. Intercorrelations analysis and a hierarchical linear regression were utilized. Variables that have been empirically associated with TL: age, BMI, physical activity, smoking, substance abuse, negative life events since repatriation, depression and PTSD symptoms were controlled for in the regression. RESULTS Solitary confinement during captivity, and loss of place in the family, loneliness and being accused at homecoming predicted shorter telomeres in later life. The remaining stressors did not significantly predict TL. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that an adequate understanding of TL after trauma must consider the unique contributions of specific types of stressors across the lifespan, and particularly account for interpersonal deficits. The findings may inform preventive interventions aimed at improving ex-POWs' longevity and well-being.
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20
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Lahav Y, Avidor S, Stein JY, Zhou X, Solomon Z. Telomere Length and Depression Among Ex-Prisoners of War: The Role of Subjective Age. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2018; 75:21-29. [DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gby006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Objectives
Exposure to captivity increases the risk for multiple disturbances that may intensify during old age. In later phases of life, former-prisoners-of-war (ex-POWs) may suffer from depression as well as from accelerated aging, manifested in older subjective age and leukocyte telomere shortening. The current study assesses the link between these varied facets of increased vulnerability during old age and explores (a) the associations between subjective age and telomere length; (b) the mediating role of changes in subjective age over time within the associations between depression and telomere length.
Methods
Eighty-eight ex-POWs were assessed prospectively 30 (T1), 35 (T2), and 45 (T3) years after the 1973 Israeli Yom-Kippur War. Depression was assessed at T1; subjective age was assessed at T2 and T3; and telomere length and control variables were assessed at T3.
Results
Older subjective age at T3 was associated with concurrent shorter telomeres, beyond the effect of chronological age. Change in subjective age between T2 and T3 mediated the relations between depression at T1 and shorter telomeres at T3 beyond the effects of control variables.
Discussion
Findings suggest that the detrimental ramifications of accelerated subjective age involve premature cellular senesces, and may explain the relation between depression and accelerated aging processes among trauma victims. Hence, clinical interventions may seek to address accelerated subjective age among trauma survivors who suffer from depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yael Lahav
- I-Core Research Center for Mass Trauma, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
| | | | - Jacob Y Stein
- I-Core Research Center for Mass Trauma, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
- Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
| | - Xiao Zhou
- I-Core Research Center for Mass Trauma, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
| | - Zahava Solomon
- I-Core Research Center for Mass Trauma, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
- Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
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