Telomere shortening has been linked to diseases and shorter lifespans, which may be one reason why people tend to age more quickly if they have experienced chronic stress. [1]
Oxidative Stress:
editChronic stress may increase the body’s susceptibility to oxidative stress, which then leads to telomere shortening. The relationship of chronic stress to oxidative stress to telomere shortening is currently the most likely hypothesis for the association between chronic stress and telomere shortening. [1] Chronic stress causes the body to respond with multiple endocrine responses, including long-term activation of the sympathetic nervous system and production of glucocorticoids. Although the exact mechanism is not known, these two responses may then lead to more oxidative stress in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, resulting in shorter telomeres. [2]
Although there have been multiple studies done to confirm the association between chronic stress and telomere shortening, there are several other factors that may contribute to the shortening of telomeres. [3]
- ^ a b "Long-Term Stress May Chip Away at the Ends of Chromosomes on JSTOR" (PDF). www.jstor.org. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
- ^ "Organismal Stress and Telomeric Aging: An Unexpected Connection on JSTOR" (PDF). www.jstor.org. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
- ^ "Systematic review of the association between chronic social stress and telomere length: A life course perspective". www.sciencedirect.com. Retrieved 2016-11-13.