Attachment and telomere length: more evidence for psychobiological connections between close relationships, health, and aging.

Peer-Reviewed Scientific Journal:
Journal of Behavioral Medicine

Size of study:
213 adults

Summary
Poor social connections and lack of interpersonal attachment have long been understood to be associated with poor health outcomes. In this new study published this week in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine, researchers measured blood telomere length and stress-induced respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and assessed social connections and stress responses via a survey. The results were analyzed and an association was found between shorter telomeres and attachment anxiety in patients who had RSA. Also stress was associated with shorter telomere lengths in CD8CD28+ cells. The researchers concluded that attachment responses may be associated with telomere length and could begin to model the underlying mechanism that links attachment response to health outcomes.

Link to study

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