Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.7586/jkbns.2022.24.4.235

Associations of Perceived Stress Level, Serum Cortisol Level, and Telomere Length of Community-dwelling Adults in Korea  

Kim, A Young (Department of Nursing, Graduate School of Keimyung University)
Kim, Nahyun (College of Nursing, Keimyung University)
Publication Information
Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science / v.24, no.4, 2022 , pp. 235-242 More about this Journal
Abstract
Purpose: To investigate associations of perceived stress level, serum cortisol level, and telomere length of community-dwelling adults in Korea. Methods: Data of a total of 135 community-dwelling adults aged over 40 years living in D metropolitan city from December 2020 to March 2021 were collected. Perceived stress level over the past month were measured using the Perceived Stress Score. Serum cortisol level was analyzed using a chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. Telomere length was determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The statistical package SPSS 23.0 was used to perform Chi-square test, independent t-test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis. Results: There was no association between perceived stress and serum cortisol level (r = .07, p= .402). Serum cortisol level was not significantly associated with telomere length either (r = -.15, p= .081). However, the higher the perceived stress level, the shorter the telomere length (r= -.29, p= .001). Conclusion: These results suggest that perceived stress might induce physiological stress, which might partially affect gene biology. Further longitudinal research is needed to investigate the effect of perceived stress on telomere length. Intervention for relieving stress should be included in stabilizing the genetic environment of adults.
Keywords
Stress; Psychological; Cortisol; Telomere shortening;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 1  (Citation Analysis)
연도 인용수 순위
1 Rode L, Nordestgaard BG, Bojesen SE. Peripheral blood leukocyte telomere length and mortality among 64,637 individuals from the general population. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2015;107(6):djv074. https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djv074   DOI
2 Shimanoe C, Hara M, Nishida Y, Nanri H, Horita M, Yamada Y, et al. Perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and oxidative DNA damage. Psychosomatic Medicine. 2018;80(1): 28-33. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0000000000000513   DOI
3 Epel ES. Psychological and metabolic stress: a recipe for accelerated cellular aging? Hormones. 2009;8(1):7-22. https://doi.org/10.14310/horm.2002.1217   DOI
4 McEwen BS. Central effects of stress hormones in health and disease: understanding the protective and damaging effects of stress and stress mediators. European Journal of Pharmacology. 2008;583(2-3):174-185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejphar.2007.11.071   DOI
5 Parks CG, Miller DB, McCanlies EC, Cawthon RM, Andrew ME, DeRoo LA, et al. Telomere length, current perceived stress, and urinary stress hormones in women. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. 2009;18(2):551-560. https://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-08-0614   DOI
6 Epel ES, Lin J, Wilhelm FH, Wolkowitz OM, Cawthon R, Adler NE, et al. Cell aging in relation to stress arousal and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2006;31(3):277-287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2005.08.011   DOI
7 Georgin-Lavialle S, Moura DS, Bruneau J, Chauvet-Gelinier JC, Damaj G, Soucie E, et al. Leukocyte telomere length in mastocytosis: correlations with depression and perceived stress. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. 2014;35:51-57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2013.07.009   DOI
8 Ludlow AT, Zimmerman JB, Witkowski S, Hearn JW, Hatfield BD, Roth SM. Relationship between physical activity level, telomere length, and telomerase activity. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 2008;40(10):1764-1771. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e31817c92aa   DOI
9 Prather AA, Gurfein B, Moran P, Daubenmier J, Acree M, Bacchetti P, et al. Tired telomeres: poor global sleep quality, perceived stress, and telomere length in immune cell subsets in obese men and women. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. 2015;47:155-162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2014.12.011   DOI
10 Vyas CM, Ogata S, Reynolds CF, Mischoulon D, Chang G, Cook NR, et al. Telomere length and its relationships with lifestyle and behavioural factors: variations by sex and race/ethnicity. Age and Ageing. 2021;50(3):838-846. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaa186   DOI
11 Cai N, Chang S, Li Y, Li Q, Hu J, Liang J, et al. Molecular signatures of major depression. Current Biology. 2015;25(9):1146-1156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2015.03.008   DOI
12 Park JO, Seo YS. Validation of the perceived stress scale (PSS) on samples of Korean university students. Korean Journal of Psychology: General. 2010;29(3):611-629.
13 Cawthon, Richard M. Telomere length measurement by a novel monochrome multiplex quantitative PCR method. Nucleic Acids Research 2009;37(3):e21. https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkn1027   DOI
14 Shim IB, Joe SH, Ham BJ, Han CS, Jeong HG, Ko YH. The stress perception, depressive symptoms and medical comorbidity in healthcare Center. Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine. 2013;21(1):27-43.
15 Andreou E, Alexopoulos EC, Lionis C, Varvogli L, Gnardellis C, Chrousos GP, et al. Perceived stress scale: reliability and validity study in Greece. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2011;8(8):3287-3298. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph8083287   DOI
16 Koh MS, Ahn SH, Kim JS, Park SY, Oh JW. Pregnant women's antenatal depression and influencing factors. Korean Journal Women Health Nursing. 2019; 25(1):112-123. https://doi.org/10.4069/kjwhn.2019.25.1.112   DOI
17 Pullens MJ, De Vries J, Van Warmerdam LJ, Van De Wal MA, Roukema JA. Chemotherapy and cognitive complaints in women with breast cancer. Psycho-Oncology. 2013;22(8):1783-1789. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.3214   DOI
18 Zimmer C, Basler HD, Vedder H, Lautenbacher S. Sex differences in cortisol response to noxious stress. The Clinical Journal of Pain 2003;19(4):233-239. https://doi.org/10.1097/00002508-200307000-00006   DOI
19 Kirschbaum C, Wust S, Hellhammer D. Consistent sex differences in cortisol responses to psychological stress. Psychosomatic Medicine. 1992;54(6):648-657. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006842-199211000-00004   DOI
20 Badrick E, Kirschbaum C, Kumari M. The relationship between smoking status and cortisol secretion. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 2007;92(3):819-824. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2006-2155   DOI
21 Pineles SL, Rasmusson AM, Yehuda R, Lasko NB, Macklin ML, Pitman RK, et al. Predicting emotional responses to potentially traumatic events from pre-exposure waking cortisol levels: a longitudinal study of police and firefighters. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping. 2013;26(3):241-253. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2012.672976   DOI
22 Lim GY, Jang TW, Sim CS, Ahn YS, Jeong KS. Comparison of cortisol level by shift cycle in Korean firefighters. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020;17(13):4760. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17134760   DOI
23 Chida Y, Steptoe A. Cortisol awakening response and psychosocial factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Biological Psychology. 2009;80(3):265-278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2008.10.004   DOI
24 Hirokawa K, Ohira T, Nagao M, Nagayoshi M, Kajiura M, Imano H, et al. Associations between occupational status, support at work, and salivary cortisol levels. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine 2022;29(3):299-307. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-021-10020-2   DOI
25 Damjanovic AK, Yang Y, Glaser R, Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Nguyen H, Laskowski B, et al. Accelerated telomere erosion is associated with a declining immune function of caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients. The Journal of Immunology. 2007;179(6):4249-4254. https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.179.6.4249   DOI
26 Lazarus RS. From psychological stress to the emotions: a history of changing outlooks. Annual Review of Psychology. 1993;44(1):1-22. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ps.44.020193.000245   DOI
27 Koeppen BM, Stanton BA. Berne & Levy physiology, updated edition e-book. Elsevier Health Sciences, 2009.
28 Foss B, Dyrstad SM. Stress in obesity: cause or consequence? Medical Hypotheses. 2011; 77(1):7-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2011.03.011   DOI
29 Thayer JF, Lane RD. The role of vagal function in the risk for cardiovascular disease and mortality. Biological Psychology. 2007;74(2):224-242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2005.11.013   DOI
30 Antonelli M, Barbieri G, Donelli D. Effects of forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) on levels of cortisol as a stress biomarker: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Biometeorology. 2019;63(8):1117-1134. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-019-01717 -x   DOI
31 Iwakabe K, Shimada M, Ohta A, Yahata T, Ohmi Y, Habu S, et al. The restraint stress drives a shift in Th1/Th2 balance toward Th2-dominant immunity in mice. Immunology Letters. 1998;62(1):39-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-2478(98)00021-2   DOI
32 Epel ES, Blackburn EH, Lin J, Dhabhar FS, Adler NE, Morrow JD, et al. Accelerated telomere shortening in response to life stress. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2004;101(49):17312-17315. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0407162101   DOI
33 Han LKM, Verhoeven JE, Tyrka AR, Penninx BW, Wolkowitz OM, Mansson KN, et al. Accelerating research on biological aging and mental health: current challenges and future directions. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2019;106:293-311. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.04.004   DOI
34 Mathur MB, Epel E, Kind S, Desai M, Parks CG, Sandler DP, et al. Perceived stress and telomere length: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and methodologic considerations for advancing the field. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. 2016;54:158-169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2016.02.002   DOI
35 Revesz D, Verhoeven JE, Milaneschi Y, de Geus EJ, Wolkowitz OM, Penninx BW. Dysregulated physiological stress systems and accelerated cellular aging. Neurobiology of Aging. 2014;35(6):1422-1430. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2013.12.027   DOI
36 Sahin E, DePinho RA. Axis of ageing: telomeres, p53 and mitochondria. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology. 2012;13(6):397-404. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm3352   DOI
37 Tyrka AR, Carpenter LL, Kao HT, Porton B, Philip NS, Ridout SJ, et al. Association of telomere length and mitochondrial DNA copy number in a community sample of healthy adults. Experimental Gerontology. 2015;66:17-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2015.04.002   DOI
38 Tyrka AR, Parade SH, Price LH, Kao HT, Porton B, Philip NS, et al. Alterations of mitochondrial DNA copy number and telomere length with early adversity and psychopathology. Biological Psychiatry. 2016;79(2):78-86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.12.025   DOI
39 Blackburn EH, Epel ES, Lin J. Human telomere biology: a contributory and interactive factor in aging, disease risks, and protection. Science. 2015;350(6265):1193-1198. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aab3389   DOI
40 Darrow SM, Verhoeven JE, Revesz D, Lindqvist D, Penninx BW, Delucchi KL, et al. The association between psychiatric disorders and telomere length: a meta-analysis involving 14,827 persons. Psychosomatic Medicine. 2016;78(7):776-787. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0000000000000356   DOI