Abstract

BACKGROUND
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis plays a central role in stress regulation, and leukocyte telomere length (TL) has been suggested to represent a cumulative measure of stress. Depression is intimately related with stress and frequently exhibits a dysregulated HPA axis. We aimed to study the relationships between TL and biological and psychological facets of stress in recurrent major depressive disorder and controls.
METHODS
Leukocyte TL was measured in 91 subjects with recurrent major depressive disorder and 451 control subjects. Stress was assessed from both a biological perspective, by assessing HPA axis function with a weight-adjusted very-low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (DST), and a psychological perspective, with self-report questionnaires.
RESULTS
TL was shorter among patients compared with control subjects (277 base pairs, p = .001). Overall, short TL was associated with a hypocortisolemic state (low post-DST cortisol and high percentage of cortisol reduction after the DST) among both patients and control subjects but more pronounced among patients. This state, which was overrepresented among patients, was characterized by high familial loading of affective disorders among patients (p = .001) and high C-reactive protein levels among control subjects (p = .040). TL was also inversely associated with stress measured with the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (r(s) = -.258, p = .003).
CONCLUSIONS
Short TL is associated with depression and hypocortisolism. Because hypocortisolism has been shown to develop from chronic stress exposure, our findings corroborate the concept of TL as a cumulative measure of stress and provide novel insights into the detrimental role of stress in depressive illness and the general population.

Links

Publisher Full Text

Authors

Wikgren M, Maripuu M, Karlsson T, Nordfjäll K, Bergdahl J, Hultdin J, Del-Favero J, Roos G, Nilsson LG, Adolfsson R, Norrback KF

Institution

Division of Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. mikael.wikgren@psychiat.umu.se

Source

Biological psychiatry 71:4 2012 Feb 15 pg 294-300

MeSH

Adrenal Insufficiency
Adult
Aged
C-Reactive Protein
Depressive Disorder, Major
Female
Humans
Hydrocortisone
Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System
Leukocytes
Male
Middle Aged
Pituitary-Adrenal System
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Questionnaires
Statistics as Topic
Stress, Psychological
Telomere

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

22055018