Attached to the ends of all our chromosomes is a small, slow-burning “fuse”, and as we naturally age, each cell loses more and more of its life-giving lines.
South Korean researchers have shown that these fuses, known as telomeres, are unusually short in relatively healthy elderly cells, but are noticing early signs of cognitive decline such as depressive symptoms and memory loss.
Randomized controlled trials The telomere hypothesis of agingThis assumes that all cells have reached a point where they are no longer able to divide and replicate.
Telomeres are essentially “molecular clocks” ticking to their final zero, whose countdown is chronic stress and probably depression.
telomeres A repetitive sequence of DNA that forms a protective “cap” at the end of a cell’s chromosomes. Each time the cell divides and replicates, the telomeres get a little shorter, reducing the protective properties of telomeres.
When the telomeres reach the end, the cell stops dividing and enters a zombie-like state.
Hypothetically, if the body’s recycling system doesn’t wipe out these zombie cells, the undead could form an “army” that could contribute to disease almost anywhere on the body.
Whether or not we accept this hypothesis, it is clear that telomere shortening is ongoing. closely associated with agingNot just cells, but whole organisms.
many the study Indicated Telomere length in the elderly is closely associated with cognitive impairment and depression.
physical toll that can lead to chronic depression or Link to inflammation It has been used to explain why aging is accelerated in the brain and telomeres of some older people.
And new research from South Korea also supports that interpretation of the possibility of early-stage depression.
The trial involved 137 volunteers between the ages of 60 and 79. Ultimately, those who experienced symptoms of depression and complained of cognitive problems were more likely to have shorter telomeres.
These short telomeres are interleukin-6 (IL-6) not only acts as a pro-inflammatory cytokine, but also functions as an anti-inflammatory myokine in the blood.
“Based on our findings, we believe that shortened telomere length in older adults is associated not only with advanced depression, but also with early depressive symptoms.” write Myung-Hoon Han, a neurosurgeon at Hanyang University Guri Hospital, and his colleagues.
“Reduced telomere length is associated with increased levels of IL-6 in older adults, and IL-6 may be a cytokine involved in depression from early stages to advanced depression.” I’m guessing.
In recent years, chronic inflammation has become a major cause of many age-related diseases. Including Alzheimer’s disease.
Today, depression Significantly increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s diseaseand increases in inflammatory markers such as IL-6 had dementia.
“The precise mechanism underlying the shorter correlation [telomeres] The association with depression, cognitive decline, and inflammatory cytokines remains unclear,” said the researchers. admit.
But it’s just a correlation, and it doesn’t tell scientists which way cause and effect go.
For example, cells with shortened telomeres are more likely to secrete inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6. Chronic mild inflammation, on the other hand, appears to shorten telomeres more rapidly.
“This repetitive process causes an accumulation of structural and functional changes in the brain that can lead to cognitive impairment and mood disorders such as depression,” the researchers said. explanation.
Results from a recent randomized trial need to be replicated across larger cohorts, but the authors believe their findings can help predict depression in older adults before it takes its toll. I am looking forward to
This research aging.
