The progression of telomere shortening in Bipolar Disorder: the accelerated aging paradigm

• Grant number: 14/08381-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2014
• End date: July 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Elisa Brietzke
• Grantee: Johann Ken Yamazaki
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

There is evidence that patients with bipolar disorder (BD) are undergoing a process of accelerated aging. The length of telomeres plays an important role in the process of natural aging. However, little is known about the progression of this system in the evolution of BD. Objective: To analyze the progression of telomere length over the course of the disease, relating the findings to the accelerated aging process. Methodology: A case-control study comparing 3 groups: 30 patients with BD under 5 years of disease, 30 patients with BD with more than 10 years of disease and 30 healthy volunteers. All subjects will undergo standardized psychiatric interview and blood sampling for analysis of telomere length. Significance: This is the first study to address the disease progresses to the accelerated aging process and according to early immunosenescence relate to bipolar disorder. If differences are observed between the groups, this study paves the way for new research on the pathophysiology of BD and the development of new and more effective therapeutic strategies.