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Stress, Telomeres, and Psychopathology: Toward a Deeper Understanding of a Triad of Early Aging.

ABSTRACT: Telomeres play an important part in aging and show relationships to lifetime adversity, particularly childhood adversity. Meta-analyses demonstrate reliable associations between psychopathology (primarily depression) and shorter telomere length, but the nature of this relationship has not been fully understood. Here, we review and evaluate the evidence for impaired telomere biology as a consequence of psychopathology or as a contributing factor, and the important mediating roles of chronic psychological stress and impaired allostasis. There is evidence for a triadic relationship among stress, telomere shortening, and psychiatric disorders that is positively reinforcing and unfolds across the life course and, possibly, across generations. We review the role of genetics and biobehavioral responses that may contribute to shorter telomere length, as well as the neurobiological impact of impaired levels of telomerase. These complex interrelationships are important to elucidate because they have implications for mental and physical comorbidity and, potentially, for the prevention and treatment of depression.

SUBMITTER: Epel ES

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7039047 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Stress, Telomeres, and Psychopathology: Toward a Deeper Understanding of a Triad of Early Aging.

Epel Elissa S ES Prather Aric A AA

Annual review of clinical psychology 20180301

Telomeres play an important part in aging and show relationships to lifetime adversity, particularly childhood adversity. Meta-analyses demonstrate reliable associations between psychopathology (primarily depression) and shorter telomere length, but the nature of this relationship has not been fully understood. Here, we review and evaluate the evidence for impaired telomere biology as a consequence of psychopathology or as a contributing factor, and the important mediating roles of chronic psych ...[more]

PMID: 29494257

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Project description:BackgroundPrevious research suggests that it would be useful to view health literacy as a set of 'distributed competencies', which can be found dispersed through the individual's social network, rather than an exclusively individual attribute. However, to date there is no focused exploration of how distributed health literacy has been defined, conceptualized or assessed in the peer-reviewed literature.AimsThis systematic review aimed to explore: (1) definitions and conceptual models of distributed health literacy that are available from the peer-reviewed literature; and (2) how distributed health literacy has been measured in empirical research.MethodsWe searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycInfo, Scopus, ERIC and Web of Science using truncated versions of the keywords 'literacy' and 'distributed' (within five words' distance). We collated the definitions and conceptual models of distributed health literacy, and report on how health literacy has been measured in empirical research studies. Findings related to distributed health literacy from included manuscripts were synthesized using thematic synthesis.ResultsOf the 642 studies screened, 10 were included in this systematic review. The majority were empirical manuscripts reporting on qualitative research in one of five countries, with two reviews, one conceptual analysis and one quantitative study. Edwards' definition of distributed health literacy, which emphasizes the health literacy abilities, skills and practices of others that contribute to an individual's level of health literacy was widely applied in a variety of clinical and geographical settings. However, we did not identify any quantitative instruments which directly measured distributed health literacy. There was significant variability in questions used to explore the concept qualitatively, and discrepancies across studies in regard to (a) what constitutes distributed health literacy and what does not (e.g., general social support), and (b) the relationship between distributed health literacy and other constructs (e.g., public health literacy).ConclusionAlthough there is a widely applied definition of distributed health literacy, our review revealed that the research space would benefit from the development of the concept, both theoretically for example via conceptual distinctions between distributed health literacy and other types of social support, and empirically for example through the development of a quantitative measurement instrument.Patient or public contributionThis paper is a systematic review and did not involve patients or the public.

Dataset Information

Stress, Telomeres, and Psychopathology: Toward a Deeper Understanding of a Triad of Early Aging.

Publications

Stress, Telomeres, and Psychopathology: Toward a Deeper Understanding of a Triad of Early Aging.

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