Tue Apr 24, 2012, 03:29 PM

bananas (20,292 posts)

Violence ages children's DNA, shortens their chromosomes

Source: USA Today

Conventional wisdom says that hardship can make us old before our time.

In fact, a new study suggests that violence leaves long-term scars on children's bodies — not just in bruises on the skin, but also altering their DNA, causing changes that are equivalent to seven to 10 years of premature aging.

Scientists measured this cellular aging by studying the ends of children's chromosomes, called telomeres, according to Idan Shalev, lead author of a study in today's Molecular Psychiatry.

<snip>

Several factors have been found to shorten telomeres, including smoking, radiation and psychological stresses such as early life maltreatment and taking care of a chronically ill person.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/story/2012-04-24/violence-cellular-mark/54493338/1?csp=34news

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11 replies	Author	Time	Post
Violence ages children's DNA, shortens their chromosomes (Original post)	bananas	Apr 2012	OP
In other word,life is tough.	virgogal	Apr 2012	#1
No.	Hissyspit	Apr 2012	#2
Well, maybe so, but...	ret5hd	Apr 2012	#3
My telomeres are very short---and have been for almost	virgogal	Apr 2012	#5
I've lived my whole life with an immense amount of pain and anxiety.	lilithsrevenge12	Apr 2012	#8
Maybe but there is no need for that	LaurenG	Apr 2012	#6
There were other factors mentioned,not just violence in childhood.	virgogal	Apr 2012	#9
Constant state of media induced fear the same thing, likely. Feeling love has an affect, too.	freshwest	Apr 2012	#4
Kicked and recommended.	Uncle Joe	Apr 2012	#7
I have PTSD	Phlem	Apr 2012	#10
Stress is a killer. nt	MADem	Apr 2012	#11

Response to bananas (Original post)

Tue Apr 24, 2012, 03:32 PM

virgogal (7,430 posts)

1. In other word,life is tough.

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Response to virgogal (Reply #1)

Tue Apr 24, 2012, 03:40 PM

Hissyspit (40,401 posts)

2. No.

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Response to virgogal (Reply #1)

Tue Apr 24, 2012, 03:40 PM

ret5hd (10,096 posts)

3. Well, maybe so, but...

those that shrug their shoulders about things like this...well, let's just say i hope their telomeres are very short.

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Response to ret5hd (Reply #3)

Tue Apr 24, 2012, 03:52 PM

virgogal (7,430 posts)

5. My telomeres are very short---and have been for almost

80 years.

I find this study quite humorous.

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Response to virgogal (Reply #5)

Tue Apr 24, 2012, 04:15 PM

lilithsrevenge12 (124 posts)

8. I've lived my whole life with an immense amount of pain and anxiety.

I'd be surprised if telomeres even inhabited my body at this point. but there a huge difference between life and being beaten as a child.

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Response to virgogal (Reply #1)

Tue Apr 24, 2012, 03:57 PM

LaurenG (24,674 posts)

6. Maybe but there is no need for that

No one should have ther chromosomes shortened at 5 and 10 years old. Yikes.

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Response to LaurenG (Reply #6)

Tue Apr 24, 2012, 05:20 PM

virgogal (7,430 posts)

9. There were other factors mentioned,not just violence in childhood.

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Response to bananas (Original post)

Tue Apr 24, 2012, 03:48 PM

freshwest (32,410 posts)

4. Constant state of media induced fear the same thing, likely. Feeling love has an affect, too.

Or so I hear.

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Response to bananas (Original post)

Tue Apr 24, 2012, 04:06 PM

Uncle Joe (25,045 posts)

7. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, bananas.

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Response to bananas (Original post)

Tue Apr 24, 2012, 05:44 PM

Phlem (1,408 posts)

10. I have PTSD

from early child abuse ( it started before 5 yrs old from what I can remember and yes I can remember) and this makes sense of why I feel 60yrs old to my actual 45.

Thanks for the post.

-p

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Response to bananas (Original post)

Tue Apr 24, 2012, 09:14 PM

MADem (87,257 posts)

11. Stress is a killer. nt

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