title: Stress in centenarians.
abstract: Everybody is subject to a physical clock, determining the calendar age, and also to a biological clock, the speed of which depends on the interaction between the genetic reserves and the environment. Stress is taken into account more and more as one of the main factors responsible for the acceleration of the biological clock and the dishomogeneity of the aging process. Despite the fact that centenarians are prone to chronic stress due to a progressive loss of self-sufficiency, more than a half of our centenarians were not depressed and had a low trait-anxiety: they showed an emotional tendency to react with a low anxiety-intensity to stressful conditions. Their good physical conditions may be explained by a positive character-disposition and by strong adaptability to the adversities of the life. Personality traits can be reduced to five basic phenomena, the so-called Big Five: extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness to experience and emotional stability. In our sample 65.4% were classified as extroverted, 50% as open minded and 34.5% showed good emotional stability. In the centenarians aging of all apparatuses was slowed down by a healthy lifestyle and also by good adaptability that allowed for a positive and effective response to stress throughout their whole lives.
authors.affiliation: Department of Aging Science, Policlinico Umberto I, University "La Sapienza", Viale Policlinico, 155, I-00161 Rome, Italy. laura_tafaro@virgilio.it
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tafaro
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Tombolillo
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brükner
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Troisi
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cicconetti
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cardillo
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bennati
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Marigliano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*