Telomere length in subjects with schizophrenia, their unaffected siblings and healthy controls: Evidence of accelerated aging

• Published in: Schizophrenia research Vol. 174; no. 1-3; pp. 39 - 42
• Main Authors: Czepielewski, Leticia Sanguinetti, Massuda, Raffael, Panizzutti, Bruna, da Rosa, Eduarda Dias, de Lucena, David, Macêdo, Danielle, Grun, Lucas Kich, Barbé-Tuana, Florencia María, Gama, Clarissa Severino
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.07.2016
• Subjects: Accelerated aging; Adolescent; Adult; Aging - metabolism; Analysis of Variance; Antipsychotic Agents - therapeutic use; Biomarkers; Body Mass Index; Educational Status; Endophenotypes; Female; Humans; Interview, Psychological; Male; Middle Aged; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychiatry; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - diagnosis; Schizophrenia - drug therapy; Schizophrenia - metabolism; Siblings; Telomere - metabolism; Telomere length; Telomere Shortening; Young Adult; Schizophrenia; Biomarkers; Telomere length; Accelerated aging; Endophenotypes
• ISSN: 0920-9964; 1573-2509; 1573-2509
• DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2016.04.004

Schizophrenia (SZ) is associated with broad burden. The clinical manifestations of SZ are related to pathophysiological alterations similar to what is seen in normal aging. Our aim was to evaluate the differences in telomere length (TL), a biomarker of cellular aging, in subjects with SZ (n=36), unaffected siblings (SB, n=36) and healthy controls (HC, n=47). SZ had shorter TL compared to HC, but no difference was found in SB comparing to SZ. These findings indicate that a pathological accelerated aging profile could be present in the course of SZ and further studies are needed to confirm TL as potential endophenotype, especially in at risk populations.