Can Reducing Psychological Distress Slow Down the Rate of Telomere Attrition?

Abstract

Specific types of cognitions and mental processes may lead to greater stress arousal and may subsequently impact cell longevity. The study of telomeres and telomere-related molecular systems may provide a pathway for exploring the link between psychological domains and cell physiology. Based on findings emerging from clinical and preclinical data, we hypothesize that the telomere-telomerase system contributes to explain certain biological underpinnings of psychological interventions.

In this symposium we’ll present the preliminary evidence on the complex translational relationships between specific psychological domains (i.e. childhood adversities, stressful life events, mindfulness-based interventions and perceived distress), the telomere-telomerase system and clinical outcomes. Further, we’ll discuss preliminary data on the effect of mindfulness- and meditation-based interventions on cellular ageing and disease-associated molecular phenotypes.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.