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Telomere length

What is telomere length?

Telomeres are protective caps on the ends of chromosomes. They are linked to aging as they shorten with each cell division, and when they reach a critical length the cell stops dividing or dies. Chronic stress has been associated with reduced telomere length, resulting in the recognition of an association between adverse social and environmental influences and accelerated aging. Bipolar disorder has also been associated with adverse environmental influences.

What is the evidence for telomere length in people with bipolar disorder?

Moderate to high quality suggests no differences in telomere length between people with bipolar disorder and controls without a psychiatric disorder.

December 2021

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Last updated at: 11:19 am, 2nd December 2021
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Fact Sheet Technical Commentary

NeuRA Libraries

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