Key points from article :
Researchers have found associations between telomere length and endophenotypes, or markers, of neurodegenerative disease.
It suggests that longer telomeres may have protective effects against dementia.
As cells age and continue to divide, telomeres become progressively shorter.
Shorter telomeres are a marker of biological ageing and may increase the likelihood of age-related diseases such as dementia.
Researchers compared telomere length in white blood cells with results from brain MRI scans and electronic health records from 31,661 UK Biobank participants.
Anya Topiwala, consultant psychiatrist said ‘Understanding the biological mechanisms that cause neurodegenerative disease ... slow down disease progression.’
The study was carried out at the University of Oxford and the results are published in PLOS ONE.
