Background
Little is known about the biological mechanisms underlying the excess medical morbidity
and mortality associated with mood disorders. Substantial evidence supports abnormalities
in stress-related biological systems in depression. Accelerated telomere shortening
may reflect stress-related oxidative damage to cells and accelerated aging, and severe
psychosocial stress has been linked to telomere shortening. We propose that chronic
stress associated with mood disorders may contribute to excess vulnerability for diseases
of aging such as cardiovascular disease and possibly some cancers through accelerated
organismal aging.
Methods
Telomere length was measured by Southern Analysis in 44 individuals with chronic mood
disorders and 44 nonpsychiatrically ill age-matched control subjects.
Results
Telomere length was significantly shorter in those with mood disorders, representing
as much as 10 years of accelerated aging.
Conclusions
These results provide preliminary evidence that mood disorders are associated with
accelerated aging and may suggest a novel mechanism for mood disorder-associated morbidity
and mortality.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 03, 2006
Accepted:
February 1,
2006
Received in revised form:
January 30,
2006
Received:
October 19,
2005
Identification
Copyright
© 2006 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
