Shorter Telomeres Among Individuals With Physical Disability: The Moderating Role of Perceived Stress.

OBJECTIVES: Evidence suggests that individuals with physical disability may suffer from psychological distress and accelerated cellular aging, manifested by shortened telomere length (TL), compared with healthy individuals. Studies indicate that high levels of perceived stress and depression may increase the physiological susceptibility and, thus, may contribute to a short TL. However, the moderating role of perceived stress and depression within the relationship between physical disability and TL remains unknown. METHOD: The participants consisted of 119 male subjects (mean age 54.36 years, range 35-70). Of them, 30 were able-bodied and 89 had a physical disability: 34 were due to poliomyelitis (polio) and 55 were due to spinal cord injury. Blood samples for TL analysis were collected; the participants completed questionnaires and underwent disability evaluation. RESULTS: Participants with disability had a shorter TL as well as elevated levels of perceived stress and depression compared with able-bodied controls. Both the perceived stress and depression were correlated with a shorter TL. Nonetheless, perceived stress, rather than depression, moderated the relationship between disability and TL; among participants with higher perceived stress levels, in particular, individuals with physical disability had a shorter TL than the able-bodied controls. DISCUSSION: The present findings suggest that individuals with physical disability and who exhibit high levels of perceived stress may be particularly vulnerable for accelerated cellular aging, suggesting that perceived stress can be used as a valuable target for intervention.

Chronic Pain and Premature Aging - The Moderating Role of Physical Exercise.

Chronic pain induces a multitude of harmful effects; recently it has been suggested that chronic pain is also associated with premature aging, manifested in shortened telomere length (TL). However, evidence for this hypothesis is scarce and inconsistent. The aim was twofold: 1) Investigate whether chronic pain is associated with premature aging, and 2) Determine whether physical exercise (PE) moderates this association if it exists. Participants were 116 male subjects, with (n = 67) and without chronic pain (n = 49). Blood samples for TL analysis were collected and participants were interviewed and completed questionnaires. As a part of the cohort, we included people with physical disability; this variable was controlled in the analysis. The TL of individuals with chronic pain was significantly shorter than that of pain-free individuals. Regression analysis revealed a significant moderating effect of PE on chronic pain and TL, above and beyond the effects of disability, age, and weight. Whereas chronic pain was associated with shorter telomeres in participants who did not exercise, this association was nonsignificant among participants who did exercise. The results suggest that chronic pain is associated with premature ageing; however, PE may mitigate this association and may protect individuals against the harmful effects of chronic pain. PERSPECTIVE: The study suggests that it is important to monitor signs of premature ageing among chronic pain patients as they are at risk. However, chronic pain patients may benefit from regular PE in this respect as it may moderate premature ageing.