Telomere length and depression: prospective cohort study and Mendelian randomisation study in 67 306 individuals

TY - JOUR

T1 - Telomere length and depression

T2 - prospective cohort study and Mendelian randomisation study in 67 306 individuals

AU - Wium-Andersen, Marie Kim

AU - Ørsted, David Dynnes

AU - Rode, Line

AU - Bojesen, Stig Egil

AU - Nordestgaard, Børge Grønne

N1 - © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017.

PY - 2017/1

Y1 - 2017/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: Depression has been cross-sectionally associated with short telomeres as a measure of biological age. However, the direction and nature of the association is currently unclear.AIMS: We examined whether short telomere length is associated with depression cross-sectionally as well as prospectively and genetically.METHOD: Telomere length and three polymorphisms, TERT, TERC and OBFC1, were measured in 67 306 individuals aged 20-100 years from the Danish general population and associated with register-based attendance at hospital for depression and purchase of antidepressant medication.RESULTS: Attendance at hospital for depression was associated with short telomere length cross-sectionally, but not prospectively. Further, purchase of antidepressant medication was not associated with short telomere length cross-sectionally or prospectively. Mean follow-up was 7.6 years (range 0.0-21.5). The genetic analyses suggested that telomere length was not causally associated with attendance at hospital for depression or with purchase of antidepressant medication.CONCLUSIONS: Short telomeres were not associated with depression in prospective or in causal, genetic analyses.

AB - BACKGROUND: Depression has been cross-sectionally associated with short telomeres as a measure of biological age. However, the direction and nature of the association is currently unclear.AIMS: We examined whether short telomere length is associated with depression cross-sectionally as well as prospectively and genetically.METHOD: Telomere length and three polymorphisms, TERT, TERC and OBFC1, were measured in 67 306 individuals aged 20-100 years from the Danish general population and associated with register-based attendance at hospital for depression and purchase of antidepressant medication.RESULTS: Attendance at hospital for depression was associated with short telomere length cross-sectionally, but not prospectively. Further, purchase of antidepressant medication was not associated with short telomere length cross-sectionally or prospectively. Mean follow-up was 7.6 years (range 0.0-21.5). The genetic analyses suggested that telomere length was not causally associated with attendance at hospital for depression or with purchase of antidepressant medication.CONCLUSIONS: Short telomeres were not associated with depression in prospective or in causal, genetic analyses.

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.1192/bjp.bp.115.178798

DO - 10.1192/bjp.bp.115.178798

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 27810892

SN - 0960-5371

VL - 210

SP - 31

EP - 38

JO - The Journal of mental science

JF - The Journal of mental science

IS - 1

ER -