Editing Telomere (section)

=== Potential effect of psychological stress ===

[[Meta-analysis|Meta-analyses]] found that increased perceived [[psychological stress]] was associated with a small decrease in telomere length&mdash;but that these associations attenuate to no significant association when accounting for [[publication bias]]. The literature concerning telomeres as integrative biomarkers of exposure to stress and adversity is dominated by cross-sectional and correlational studies, which makes causal interpretation problematic.<ref name="Mathur MB 2016"/><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Pepper GV, Bateson M, Nettle D | title = Telomeres as integrative markers of exposure to stress and adversity: a systematic review and meta-analysis | journal = Royal Society Open Science | volume = 5 | issue = 8 | pages = 180744 | date = August 2018 | pmid = 30225068 | pmc = 6124068 | doi = 10.1098/rsos.180744 | bibcode = 2018RSOS....580744P }}</ref> A 2020 review argued that the relationship between psychosocial stress and telomere length appears strongest for stress experienced in utero or early life.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Rentscher KE, Carroll JE, Mitchell C | title = Psychosocial Stressors and Telomere Length: A Current Review of the Science | journal = Annual Review of Public Health | volume = 41 | pages = 223–245 | date = April 2020 | pmid = 31900099 | doi = 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094239 | s2cid = 209748557 | doi-access =  }}</ref>