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. Schizophrenia has also been associated with adverse environmental influences.

What is the evidence for telomere length in people with schizophrenia?

Moderate to high quality evidence finds a medium-sized reduction in telomere length in people with schizophrenia compared to controls.

October 2020

Last updated at: 5:17 am, 29th October 2020
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Fact Sheet Technical Commentary

NeuRA Libraries

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