title: Telomere length and aging biomarkers in 70-year-olds: the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936.
abstract: Telomeres are nucleo-protein complexes at the end of eukaryotic chromosomes. They shorten each time a somatic cell replicates and this shortening is modulated by the effects of oxidative stress. Previous studies have associated telomere length with a number of age-related outcomes and it is hypothesized to be a quantitative indicator of aging. We tested this hypothesis in a cohort of ∼1000 relatively healthy 70-year-old Scots (the Lothian Birth Cohort of 1936: LBC1936) on whom we have measures of cognition, physical health and associated traits, and social class. Telomeres were significantly longer in males than females (p < 0.0001). Longer telomeres were associated, in females only, with higher general cognitive ability scores (p = 0.022) and lower C-reactive protein levels (p = 0.014). Telomere length was not associated with any of the other measured cognitive, physical, or social traits. In conclusion we find little evidence that telomere length is a significant biomarker of normal aging in important cognitive and physical domains.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, Medical Genetics Section, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. Sarah.Harris@hgu.mrc.ac.uk
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martin-Ruiz
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: von Zglinicki
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Starr
authors.forename: Ian J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Deary
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics*; D059505:Telomere Homeostasis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein