Cited by 25Telomeres, Telomerase, and SenescenceAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesStress Responses and Cortisol

Improvement in indices of cellular protection after psychological treatment for social anxiety disorder.

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Månsson, Kristoffer N. T., Lindqvist, Daniel, Yang, Liu L., Svanborg, Cecilia, Isung, Josef, Nilsonne, Gustav, Bergman-Nordgren, Lise, El Alaoui, Samir +9 more·2019·Translational Psychiatry

Abstract

Telomere attrition is a hallmark of cellular aging and shorter telomeres have been reported in mood and anxiety disorders. Telomere shortening is counteracted by the enzyme telomerase and cellular protection is also provided by the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Here, telomerase, GPx, and telomeres were investigated in 46 social anxiety disorder (SAD) patients in a within-subject design with repeated measures before and after cognitive behavioral therapy. Treatment outcome was assessed by the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (self-report), administered three times before treatment to control for time and regression artifacts, and posttreatment. Venipunctures were performed twice before treatment, separated by 9 weeks, and once posttreatment. Telomerase activity and telomere length were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and GPx activity in plasma. All patients contributed with complete data. Results showed that social anxiety symptom severity was significantly reduced from pretreatment to posttreatment (Cohen's d = 1.46). There were no significant alterations in telomeres or cellular protection markers before treatment onset. Telomere length and telomerase activity did not change significantly after treatment, but an increase in telomerase over treatment was associated with reduced social anxiety. Also, lower pretreatment telomerase activity predicted subsequent symptom improvement. GPx activity increased significantly during treatment, and increases were significantly associated with symptom improvement. The relationships between symptom improvement and putative protective enzymes remained significant also after controlling for body mass index, sex, duration of SAD, smoking, concurrent psychotropic medication, and the proportion of lymphocytes to monocytes. Thus, indices of cellular protection may be involved in the therapeutic mechanisms of psychological treatment for anxiety.

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Authors
Månsson, K. N. T., Lindqvist, D., Yang, L. L., Svanborg, C., Isung, J., Nilsonne, G., Bergman-Nordgren, L., El Alaoui, S., Hedman-Lagerlöf, E., Kraepelien, M., Högström, J., Andersson, G., Boraxbekk, C.-J., Fischer, H., Lavebratt, C., Wolkowitz, O. M., & Furmark, T.
Affiliations
  • Uppsala University (SE)
  • Lund University (SE)
  • Karolinska University Hospital (SE)
  • Region Stockholm (SE)
  • Stockholm University (SE)
  • Linköping University (SE)
  • Hvidovre Hospital (DK)
  • University of California, San Francisco (US)
Corresponding author
Månsson, Kristoffer N. T.
Venue
Translational Psychiatry
Published
2019-12-19
Volume
9
Issue
1
Pages
340-340
ISSN
2158-3188 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2996323248
Cited by
25
References
71
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 4
FWCI
2.92
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Translational Psychiatry (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • DiVA (Linkoping University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DiVA at Umeå University (Umeå University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Uppsala University Publications (Uppsala University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Lund University Publications (Lund University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Vetenskapsrådet (2017-00639, 2015-00387, 2014-10171)
  • Riksbankens Jubileumsfond
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Telomeres, Telomerase, and Senescence
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
Keywords
social anxiety disorder, telomere length, telomerase activity, glutathione peroxidase, cytoprotection, cognitive behavioral therapy, cellular aging, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, oxidative stress
MeSH terms
Phobia, Social, Adult, Female, Glutathione Peroxidase, Humans, Male, Severity of Illness Index, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Telomere, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, Telomerase, Young Adult

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