Is
anxiety related to premature aging? A new study by researchers at Brigham and
Women's Hospital (BWH) shows that a common form of anxiety, known as phobic
anxiety, was associated with shorter telomeres in middle-aged and older women.
The study suggests that phobic anxiety is a possible risk factor for
accelerated aging.
The study will be electronically published on July 11,
2012 in PLoS ONE.
Telomeres are
DNA-protein complexes at the ends of chromosomes. They protect chromosomes from
deteriorating and guard the genetic information at the ends of chromosomes
during cell division.
Telomeres are considered markers of biological or
cellular aging. Shortened telomeres have been linked to increased risk of
cancers, heart disease, dementia and mortality.
In this large, cross-sectional study, researchers had
obtained blood samples from 5,243 women, age 42 to 69 years, who were
participants in the Nurses' Health Study. Using the
samples, the researchers analyzed telomere lengths, as well as the
participants' concurrent self-reports regarding phobic symptoms on a validated
questionnaire.
Having a high phobic anxiety level was
associated with significantly shorter telomere lengths. The difference in
telomere lengths for women who were highly phobic vs. not was similar to what
was seen for an additional six years of age.
"Many people wonder about whether—and how—stress
can make us age faster," said Olivia Okereke, MD, MS, BWH Department of
Psychiatry, study author. "So, this study is notable for showing a
connection between a common form of psychological stress—phobic anxiety—and a
plausible mechanism for premature aging. However, this type of study design
cannot prove cause-and-effect or which problem came first—the anxiety or
shorter telomeres."
The findings pave the way for further prospective
investigations relating anxiety to telomere length change.
Provided by Brigham
and Women's Hospital
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