Telomere shortening in formerly abused women

Saturday, October 10, 2009: 9:50 AM-11:10 AM
Oak Alley (Sheraton New Orleans Hotel)
Speaker:
Janice Humphreys, PhD, RN, NP, FAAN, University of California, San Francisco


Presentation Format:
Scientific Program Report

Description:
Elissa Epel, Bruce Cooper, Jue Lin, & Elizabeth Blackburn It is often presumed that the stress of intimate partner violence (IPV) may be causing abused women’s poorer overall health and frequent chronic conditions. The intent of this study was to examine the relationship between telomere length as a sign of cellular aging in a group of women who have experienced one type of chronic stress, IPV. Our findings suggest a link between IPV-related stress and molecular mechanisms that regulate aging.