Does Depression and Chronic Stress Accelerate Aging?

A popular saying mentioned that exposure to negative emotions like stress and depression makes the person look older. Well, it’s highly likely according to a study conducted in Umeå University in Sweden. People who experienced prolonged bouts of negative emotions tend to accelerate aging process of cells, based in the DNA sequences called Telomeres of their white blood cells.
Telomeres are found in the outermost ends of the chromosomes. As cells (and chromosomes) replicate, the telomeres becomes shorter. Therefore it is used as an accurate biological marker of aging because as cells age, the telomeres becomes shorter. When telomeres divide, its DNA sequence is also replicated. But as it divides again and again some bits and pieces of the original DNA sequence is lost which is implicated as the cause of aging process.
The participants of the study are composed of 91 patients with recurrent depression and 451 healthy persons as controls. The lengths of their telomeres from white blood cells and cortisol levels are measured. In addition, the participants were subjected to dexamethasone suppression test to determine how their bodies react to stress.
The results showed that participants with high cortisol levels, an indicator of chronic stress, and depression have shorter telomeres compared to healthy individuals. People with depression often have disturbed cortisol regulation, and therefore are often stressed. The role mental problems to accelerated shortening of telomeres are not yet known, but this is the first study that shows relationship between the two.
In previous studies, shortened telomeres are linked to DNA damage and tumour formation. It is thought that shortened telomeres increase chances of cellular abberations. Because aging is associated with onset of numerous disorders, researchers recommended that it is important for people to have some sort of stress management and to seek professional help for psychiatric problems.
The study appears in the upcoming issue of the journal Biological Psychiatry.

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