Could post-traumatic stress disorder cause people to age faster? That’s what new research from the University of California, San Diego suggests.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that is caused by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. In the United States, 7-8% of the population will have PTSD at some point in their lives. Symptoms of the condition include flashbacks to the event, nightmares, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts about the event.
A study led by Dilip V. Jeste, MD, a Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Neurosciences and director of the Center on Healthy Aging and Senior Care at UCSD, suggests that accelerated aging might be another symptom of PTSD.
A possible association between psychiatric conditions, like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and accelerated aging had been previously observed, leading researchers to look for a potentially similar association in patients with PTSD. The researchers conducted a literature review, a study that analyzes the results of several primary research studies, to determine if a link exists between early aging and PTSD.
As there is no established criteria for accelerated aging, the researchers used the early aging signs associated with non-psychiatric conditions as a guide for their study. Their evidence was organized into three main categories: biological indicators, like leukocyte telomere length (LTL), early occurrence or high prevalence of conditions associated with old age, and premature mortality.
The studies focusing on LTL found reduced telomere length in people with PTSD. Telomeres are “caps” at the end of DNA strands that protect the strand from losing DNA during replication. Telomeres get shorter as we age and may contribute to some of the effects of aging. The reduced telomere length in PTSD patients indicates that the disorder may be related to accelerated aging.
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A majority of the reviewed studies also showed an increased likelihood for PTSD patients to have conditions associated with advanced age, like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, gastrointestinal ulcer disease, and dementia. Seven of ten studies displayed a mild to moderate link between PTSD and early mortality. These findings are consistent with the claim that PTSD is linked to accelerated aging.
The researchers stated that their results necessitate further research to determine the underlying mechanisms behind the association and bring to light the need for a more integrated medical-psychiatric approach to the care of PTSD patients.
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