Major Depressive Disorder and Measures of Cellular Aging: An Integrative Review
Open Access
- 14 April 2013
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Hindawi Limited in Nursing Research and Practice
- Vol. 2013, 1-10
- https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/469070
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects millions of individuals and causes significant suffering worldwide. It has been speculated that MDD is associated with accelerated aging-related biological and functional decline. To examine the accelerated aging hypothesis, one of the biomarkers under study is leukocyte telomeres, and specifically the measure of telomere length and telomerase activity. This review integrates findings from eleven human studies which evaluated telomere length and telomerase activity, in order to synthesize the state of the current science and to inform the development of new knowledge and enhance nursing research of depression using appropriate biobehavioral measures. Although preliminary, the findings from this integrated review suggest that there is evidence to support a conceptualization of depression as a stress-related condition in which telomeres shorten over time in relation to cumulative exposure to the chronic stress of depression. For the purposes of testing in future nursing research, visual representations of the theoretical connection between stress vulnerabilities, depression, and health outcomes and key moderators and mediators involved in this conceptualization are provided. The findings from this review and the conceptual framework provided may be a useful step towards advancing therapeutic nursing interventions for this debilitating chronic condition.Keywords
This publication has 56 references indexed in Scilit:
- Feasibility, Acceptability, and Effects of Gentle Hatha Yoga for Women With Major Depression: Findings From a Randomized Controlled Mixed-Methods StudyArchives of Psychiatric Nursing, 2013
- Telomere Length Trajectory and Its Determinants in Persons with Coronary Artery Disease: Longitudinal Findings from the Heart and Soul StudyPLOS ONE, 2010
- Dynamics of telomerase activity in response to acute psychological stressBrain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2009
- Psychological and metabolic stress: A recipe for accelerated cellular aging?Hormones, 2009
- Increased telomerase activity and comprehensive lifestyle changes: a pilot studyThe Lancet Oncology, 2008
- Reduced telomerase activity in human T lymphocytes exposed to cortisolBrain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2008
- Genetic pathway of major depressive disorder in shortening telomeric lengthPsychiatric Genetics, 2007
- Congruencies in Increased Mortality Rates, Years of Potential Life Lost, and Causes of Death Among Public Mental Health Clients in Eight States2006
- TNFα induces rapid activation and nuclear translocation of telomerase in human lymphocytesBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2004
- Association between telomere length in blood and mortality in people aged 60 years or olderThe Lancet, 2003