Dataset Information

Stress and Salivary Telomere Length in the Second Half of Life: A Comparison of Life-course Models.

ABSTRACT: Background:Previous research has explored the relationship between childhood and adulthood stressful life events (SLEs) and adult salivary telomere length (TL), but no research to date has tested different life-course models in which stress in adulthood may fully, partly, or not mediate the relationship between childhood stress and adult TL. Methods:To fill this gap, we elaborate over previous work by Puterman et al. (2016) and other standard models that do not account for the temporal order of stressors in childhood and adulthood, by using structural equation modeling (SEM) for a sample of 5,754 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) participants to compare the fit of three nested life-course models-social trajectory, early critical period, and cumulative risk. Results:Results indicated that the social trajectory model, in which the association between childhood SLEs and TL in later adulthood is fully mediated by adulthood SLEs, fit the data better than the early critical period (no mediation) and cumulative risk (partial mediation) models. Conclusion:In the social trajectory model, childhood SLEs are related to TL in later life only through adulthood SLEs. The direct physiological effect of childhood SLEs on TL in later life would be overestimated if adulthood SLEs are overlooked.

SUBMITTER: Willis M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6557584 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Stress and Salivary Telomere Length in the Second Half of Life: A Comparison of Life-course Models.

Willis Margaret M Staudinger Ursula M UM Factor-Litvak Pam P Calvo Esteban E

Advances in life course research 20190212

<h4>Background</h4>Previous research has explored the relationship between childhood and adulthood stressful life events (SLEs) and adult salivary telomere length (TL), but no research to date has tested different life-course models in which stress in adulthood may fully, partly, or not mediate the relationship between childhood stress and adult TL.<h4>Methods</h4>To fill this gap, we elaborate over previous work by Puterman et al. (2016) and other standard models that do not account for the tem ...[more]

PMID: 31186623

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundThe effects of stress on ill health have become evident in recent years. Under acute stress situations, a cascade of physiological events helps the body mount an appropriate adaptive response. However, under chronic stress situations, this physiological response may lead to wear and tear on the body that accelerates the decline in physiological functioning and increases the risk of chronic conditions. Recent evidence for social stress experienced during childhood suggests serious consequences many years later, even later life. Telomere length, a marker of cell aging, may provide a link between chronic social stress and age-associated physical and mental decline and risk of chronic conditions. This study examines whether chronic social stress is associated with telomere length throughout the life course.Methods/designWe will perform a systematic review of the literature on the relationship between chronic social stress, for example, due to violence, extreme poverty, or caregiving of people with disabling conditions (exposure), and telomere length (outcome) by searching electronic databases in MEDLINE (PubMed interface), EMBASE (OVID interface), Cochrane Central (OVID interface) and gray literature from their start date onwards. We will limit the search to studies performed on human populations. Two reviewers will conduct standardized screening, eligibility assessment, data abstraction, and scientific quality assessment. All study designs investigating the association between chronic social stress and telomere length in healthy or diseased adults and children will be eligible for inclusion in the review. We will extract individual demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, research setting, method of measuring telomere length, reported outcome, and determinants of interest. Studies will also be stratified by 1) age into 3 groups: childhood (0 to 18 years), adulthood (19 to 64 years) and late life (65+); 2) cell type; 3) study design; and 4) telomere length assessment method. Where feasible, study results will be combined through meta-analyses to obtain a pooled measure of associations. Results will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement.DiscussionThis systematic review will provide knowledge on the existing evidence for chronic social stress and its association with telomere lengths throughout the life course.

Dataset Information

Stress and Salivary Telomere Length in the Second Half of Life: A Comparison of Life-course Models.

Publications

Stress and Salivary Telomere Length in the Second Half of Life: A Comparison of Life-course Models.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets