Abstract
BackgroundTelomeres are repetitive DNA sequences located at the ends of chromosomes, and telomere length represents a biological marker for cellular aging. Interpersonal sensitivity, excessive sensitivity to the behavior and feelings of others, is one of the vulnerable factors to depression. In the present study, we examined the effect of interpersonal sensitivity on telomere length in healthy subjects.MethodsThe subjects were 159 unrelated healthy Japanese volunteers. Mean age ± SD (range) of the subjects was 42.3 ± 7.8 (30–61) years. Interpersonal sensitivity was assessed by the Japanese version of the Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM). Leukocyte telomere length was determined by a quantitative real-time PCR method.ResultsHigher scores of the total IPSM were significantly (β = −0.163, p = 0.038) related to shorter telomere length. In the sub-scale analysis, higher scores of timidity were significantly (β = −0.220, p = 0.044) associated with shorter telomere length.ConclusionsThe present study suggests that subjects with higher interpersonal sensitivity have shorter leukocyte telomere length, implying that interpersonal sensitivity has an impact on cellular aging.
Highlights
Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences located at the ends of chromosomes, and telomere length represents a biological marker for cellular aging
The effects of the total and 4 sub-scale scores of the Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM) on telomere length are shown in Table 2 and Table 3, respectively
The present result is in line with the previous study reporting that high neuroticism, which is related to interpersonal sensitivity [33], was associated with shorter telomere length [26]
Summary
Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences located at the ends of chromosomes, and telomere length represents a biological marker for cellular aging. The personality trait of interpersonal sensitivity is defined as undue and excessive awareness of, and sensitivity to, the behavior and feelings of others [1]. It has been widely accepted that interpersonal sensitivity is a risk factor for depression, especially postnatal depression [2, 3], non-melancholic depression [4], and atypical depression [5] This personality has been related to bulimic symptomatology in undergraduate students [6], nicotine dependence in a community sample [7], and alcohol dependence in depressive patients [8]. Shorter telomere length is associated with mood disorders, schizophrenia, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer disease [23]
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