Shortened telomere length tied to dementia, mortality risk

July 25, 2012

(HealthDay) — Shortened telomere length (TL) is associated with risks for dementia and mortality in a population of older adults, according to a study published online July 23 in the Archives of Neurology.

Lawrence S. Honig, M.D., Ph.D., from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, and colleagues used real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis to determine TL in stored leukocyte DNA from 1,983 participants in a community-based study of aging. Participants were 65 years or older and blood was drawn at a mean age of 78.3 years. Participants were followed for a median of 9.3 years for mortality, and 9.6 percent developed incident dementia.

The researchers found that TL correlated inversely with age and was shorter in men than women. TL was significantly shorter in persons dying during follow-up compared with survivors, even after adjusting for age, sex, education, and apolipoprotein E genotype. TL was significantly shorter in the participants with incident and prevalent dementia, compared with those who remained dementia-free. Shorter TL correlated with earlier onset of dementia but this association was significant in women only.

“Our results show an association between shortened TL and mortality, and more specifically an association of shortened TL with Alzheimer’s disease, and are consistent with but not indicative of the possibility that TL may be a factor indicative of biological age,” the authors conclude.

Source: medicalxpress.com

Tags: dementia, leukocyte-DNA, telemore

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Comment by Logos Tartaros on July 28, 2012 at 9:29am: Telomeres are DNA-protein complexes at the ends of chromosomes. They protect chromosomes from deteriorating and guard the genetic information at the ends of chromosomes during cell division. Telomeres are considered markers of biological or cellular aging. Shortened telomeres have been linked to increased risk of cancers, heart disease, dementia and mortality.

Comment by Logos Tartaros on July 28, 2012 at 9:32am: Studies of blood cell telomeres have shown wide variation in telomere length (TL). Older individuals have shorter telomeres,²but dispersion in TL owing to normal variation prevents its use as a determinant of biological age. Telomere length is likely influenced by both genetic and nongenetic factors. Nongenetic factors may include smoking,⁷socioeconomic status or physical activity,⁸marine fatty acid intake,⁹psychological stressors,¹⁰and various cardiovascular,²^,11^- 14diabetes,¹⁵chronic obstructive pulmonary,¹⁶and skin disorders.¹⁷

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Shortened telomere length tied to dementia, mortality risk

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