Sociodemographic Correlates of Change in Leukocyte Telomere Length during Mid- to Late-Life: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Telomere attrition is a hallmark indicator of biological aging (Kennedy et al., 2014; Lopez-Otin et al., 2013), and leukocyte telomere length has been proposed as a biomarker of aging (Aubert and Lansdorp, 2008). Telomeres cap the ends of chromosomes and promote chromosomal stability (Blackburn et al., 2015). Due to the end replication problem, telomeres naturally shorten with mitosis (Blackburn, 2005). Oxidative damage and DNA replication stress also contribute to telomere loss (Blackburn et al., 2015; von Zglinicki, 2002).

Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - December 7, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Belinda Needham Source Type: research