Childhood abuse speeds up aging

Children who endured mistreatment, varying from emotional neglect to physical abuse, may be faced with accelerated cellular aging as adults, a new study finds.

According to the study published in Biological Psychiatry, the telomeres of children experiencing abuse shortens more rapidly, speeding up the cells' aging process.

The telomerase — the short section located at the end of the chromosomes— keeps the cell's DNA stable. Each time a cell divides, its telomeres shorten and the cell becomes more susceptible to dying.

Previous studies have reported that telomeres shorten at an accelerated rate when exposed to toxins such as radiation and cigarette smoke.

Shorter telomere lengths have also been linked to a variety of aging-related medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Childhood psychiatric problems and stress such as emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical neglect, physical abuse and sexual abuse have a similar effect, the new study finds.

The findings of this study "gives us a hint that early developmental experiences may have profound effects on biology that can influence cellular mechanisms at a very basic level," concluded lead researcher Audrey Tyrka.