JAMA network open: cell aging is accompanied by changes in brain structure

September 27, 2019 / Bio Valley bio on / -- telomere is the protective cap at the end of chromosome, which will shorten with cell division If telomeres become so short that the genes they protect can be destroyed, the cells stop dividing and renewing This mechanism is one of the ways our bodies age Therefore, telomere length is considered as a marker of a person's biological age For two people of the same age, people with shorter telomeres have an increased risk of age-related diseases and even shorter lifespans (image source: www Pixabay Com) so the key to longevity seems to depend on how we slow down, stop or even reverse telomere shortening? Genetic and unhealthy lifestyles are important factors for telomere shortening and psychological stress Based on this knowledge, the researchers studied how lifestyle can affect telomere length Recent studies have shown that telomeres may change faster than previously thought, and may only take one to six months of psychological or physical training to lengthen Telomere elongation may represent the reversal of biological aging process However, it is not clear whether the extension of telomere really reflects the improvement of human health and aging track "To explore whether short-term changes in telomere length (only a few months later) may be related to changes in human biological age, we associate it with another biomarker of aging: brain structure," explains study author Lara puhlmann In the study, volunteers performed four MRI examinations, each three months apart, and provided blood samples on the same date Using the DNA of white blood cells in the blood, scientists were able to use PCR to determine the length of telomeres MRI scans were used to calculate the cortical thickness of each participant The outer layer of grey matter thins with age It is also known that some nervous system diseases and age-related diseases are related to the faster thinning of cortex in some brain regions The results show that: "in the whole system, our biological aging changes seem to be faster than we think Indicators of aging can change dramatically in just three months, "puhlmann said If the length of telomere changes, it is related to the structural change of brain Participants were also more likely to have their cortex thickened at the same time as their telomeres lengthened during the study On the other hand, telomere shortening is associated with decreased gray matter This association is particularly evident in areas of the brain called precuneus, the central and connecting hub of the brain's subjective metabolism The above results show that, even in just three months, the change of telomere length may reflect the fluctuation of human health and aging However, there are many other problems to be solved "We don't know, for example, which biological mechanism underlies short-term changes in telomere length, or whether short-term changes really have long-term health effects," the scientists explained At the same time, the researchers studied whether nine months of mindfulness and empathy based mental training could change the length of telomeres, and whether this systematic change in telomere length would also be reflected in the thickening or thinning of the cortex Previous data have shown that certain areas of the cortex can be thickened by specific psychological training Contrary to their previous findings, the team found no effect of any training on telomere length Future research will need to continue to explore which behaviors most effectively prevent or even reverse telomere shortening and biological aging process Sources of information: cellular aging is linked to structural changes in the brain: Lara M C puhlmann, Sofie L Valk, Veronika expert, Boris C Bernhardt, Jue Lin, Elissa s EPEL, Pascal vrticka, Tania Singer Association of Short-term Change in Leukocyte Telomere Length With Cortical Thickness and Outcomes of Mental Training Among Healthy Adults JAMA Network Open , 2019; 2 (9): e199687 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.9687