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Does neuroticism make you old? Prospective associations between neuroticism and leukocyte telomere length

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2013

S. L. van Ockenburg ,
P. de Jonge ,
P. van der Harst ,
J. Ormel  and
J. G. M. Rosmalen
S. L. van Ockenburg*
Affiliation:
Interdisciplinary Center for Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
P. de Jonge
Affiliation:
Interdisciplinary Center for Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
P. van der Harst
Affiliation:
Department of Cardiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
J. Ormel
Affiliation:
Interdisciplinary Center for Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
J. G. M. Rosmalen
Affiliation:
Interdisciplinary Center for Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
*
* Address for correspondence: S. L. van Ockenburg, M.D., Interdisciplinary Center for Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands. (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Background

Telomere attrition, causing accelerated aging, might be one of the mechanisms through which neuroticism leads to somatic disease and increased all-cause mortality. In the current study we investigated whether neuroticism is prospectively associated with shorter telomere length (TL), a biological marker of aging.

Method

Participants were 3432 adults (mean age 52.9 years, range 32–79). Data were collected at baseline (T1) and at two follow-up visits after 4 years (T2) and 6 years (T3). Neuroticism was assessed using the 12-item neuroticism scale of the Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R) at T2 and T3. TL was measured by a monochrome multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay at T1, T2 and T3. A linear mixed model was used to assess whether neuroticism could predict TL prospectively after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), frequency of sports, smoking status, presence of chronic diseases and level of education.

Results

Neuroticism was a significant negative predictor of TL at follow-up (B = −0.004, p = 0.044) after adjusting for sex, age, baseline TL and various biological and lifestyle factors.

Conclusions

High neuroticism is significantly and prospectively associated with telomere attrition independent of lifestyle and other risk factors.

Keywords

Cellular agingnegative affectivityneuroticismpersonalitystresstelomere length
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 44 , Issue 4 , March 2014 , pp. 723 - 729
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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