People with shorter protective caps at the end of their chromosomes (called telomeren) can rather develop age -related brain diseases, such as strokes, dementia and depression in late life (usually diagnosed at the age of 60 or older), according to a provisional study that needs to be Presented at the International Stroke Conference 2025 of the American Stroke Association. The meeting is in Los Angeles, 5-7 February 2025 and is a world prime minister meeting for researchers and clinicians who focus on the science of the health of stroke and brain.
Leukocyt telomer length, which reflects the length of telomers in white blood cells (leukocytes), is a well -known marker for biological aging. Telomers gradually shorten the age, which means that their ability to protect the genetic material of the chromosomes, leading to cellular aging and increased sensitivity to age -related diseases. The length of telomeren is influenced by unchanging factors such as genetics, origin and gender, as well as modifiable factors such as lifestyle choices and environmental stressors, including pollution.
No studies have investigated the impact of the telo -length of leukocytes for a compound outcome of age -related brain diseases, including stroke, dementia and depression in late life. All three disorders are linked to cerebral small vascular disease, a disorder associated with aging and accumulation of vascular risk factors. “
Tamara N. Kimball, MD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
The current study uses data from more than 356,000 participants in the large British Biobank to answer three questions. When the participants were recruited for the study between 2006 and 2010, they gave blood samples to analyze the telomeer length of leukocytes. In addition, they underwent an assessment of the brain care score, a tool that is designed to quantify modifiable factors such as physical factors, lifestyle choices and social interactions. Participants were followed for a median duration of 12 years to check the start of stroke, dementia or late-life depression.
After analyzing or shorter leukocytelomeren were associated with stroke, dementia and late-life depression individually and as a combined result, the analysis showed:
- In comparison with participants with longer leukocytomeren, people with the shortest telomer length of leukocytes had an 8% higher risk of stroke, a 19% higher risk of dementia and a 14% higher risk of depression in late life.
- In general, people with the shortest leukocyte-televol length, compared to participants with longer leukocytomaken, had a 11% higher risk of developing at least one of the age-related brain diseases studied.
“In a clinical setting, the telomer length of leukocytes can help identify people who possibly need more intensive monitoring or preventive measures. It can also guide personalized interventions, including lifestyle adjustments and therapeutic approaches, to improve overall health. Given the fact That the leukocyte evidence links telomer length to a stroke risk is still exploratory, we are currently not suggesting leukocytes telomeer length -measurement as a standard practice, “said Kimball.
With the help of a statistical method that identifies possible causality in the relationship between exposure and health results, researchers can determine more accurately how certain risk factors can lead to health problems. This study found no evidence that the telomeer length of leukocytes can cause, dementia or depression in late life.
“Our findings suggest that, although the telomeer length of leukocytes can be a well -known indicator of biological aging, it does not immediately cause these age -related diseases. Instead, the telomer length of leukocytes can work more as a reflective marker for underlying biological processes and cellular stress He precedes these age -related diseases, “said Kimball.
After investigating whether healthy behavior can influence the association between the length of leukocytes and age -related brain diseases, the analysis also turned out:
- In people with a low brain care score/less beneficial risk factor profile, shorter leukocytes, the risk of stroke, dementia and depression in late life as a combined result.
- Conversely, among people with a high brain care score, which points to healthier lifestyle choices, shorter leukocytomakes were not associated with an increased risk of age -related brain diseases.
“This suggests that the adoption of a healthier lifestyle and improving the amended risk factor profile can lower the negative effects of shorter leukocytoms. In short, it is never too late to take better care of your brain,” Kimball said.
More research and longer studies are needed to understand the dynamics of the length of leukocytes over time, how it interacts with different risk factors and how it can be used in personalized health care strategies.
“Instead of concentrating on the development of therapeutic drugs to immediately change the telomeer length – which can bring potential risks – a holistic approach aimed at changeable lifestyle factors can offer a promising strategy for promoting healthier aging and reducing risks of these diseases, “said Kimball.
The study has various limitations. It only focused on people of European descent, so the results may not be generalizable for other populations. The leukocytelomeer length and the brain care score were measured at the start, so that the researchers could not analyze changes over time. Although the telomer length of leukocytes is a proxy for the total telomer length and is increasingly accepted as a marker for unfavorable cellular aging, it cannot represent a telomer length in cell types other than white blood cells.
“This study suggests that the aging process has a direct influence on the risk of large age -related brain diseases, relatively independent of other risk factors. Although the relationship between aging and stroke, dementia and depression is established in late life, the finding is that a telomer shortening in white is Blood cells can be a sign of aging, holds significant clinical implications for assessing risks and predicting health results, “said Costantino Idecola, MD, FAHA, director and chairman of the Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute and Anne Parrish Titzell Professor of of Neurology at Weill Cornell Medicine, New York. “Recent research shows that different parts of the body time at different speeds, each with its own” aging clock. “Evidence suggests that longer telomers in white blood cells are connected to a lower risk of large brain diseases related to aging. This indicates a strong link between the aging clock of the immune system and the brain.” Iadecola was not involved in this study.
Study data, background or design:
- The analysis included more than 356,000 participants (average age 56 at the start of the study, 46% men) in the British biobank (a large -scale population -based prospective study that has registered more than half a million voluntary participants of 22 centers in the United Kingdom) .
- Leukocyt telomeer length (a proposed biological age) was measured when registering. Because the telomeer length of leukocytes is associated with genetics and origin, people were excluded if their origins were different from European and if they were in the study of someone else in the study.
- Participants were registered in the Biobank between 2006 and 2010, in which detailed basic questionnaires, physical measurements and biomedical assessments were obtained. These were used to assess the telomer length of leukocytes and to calculate the brain care score. This 19-point scale includes potentially modifiable factors (such as blood pressure), lifestyle factors (such as nutrition and exercise) and social/emotional factors (such as stress and the power of social relationships) related to the health of the brain. None of the participants was diagnosed with a stroke, dementia or depression in late life at the start of the research.
- With the help of national health databases and periodic medical assessments, participants were followed for a 12 -year -old median for the diagnosis of stroke, dementia or depression in late life.
- To assess the association of the length of leukocytes with the diagnoses, the telomer length measurements of leukocytes were distributed in the shortest, intermediate and longest thirds for analysis.
- Researchers used a statistical method called Mendelian randomization to investigate whether there is a causal relationship between the telomer length of leukocytes and these age -related brain diseases.
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