Analysis of telomeric length in children and adolescents at risk for mental disorders

• Grant number: 15/03683-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2015
• End date: December 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Síntia Iole Nogueira Belangero
• Grantee: Gabriela Xavier
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The majority of the psychiatric disorders are known as neurodevelopmental diseases. Thus, events that occur during infancy, childhood and adolescence have a large influence on those disorders. Other factors may affect the neurodevelopment, like the genetic ones, since such diseases present a high heritability. Although changes in telomere length are classically associated with aging, studies have associated psychological stress with changes in telomere length, indicating a possible correlation with psychiatric disorders. This project aims to analyze the telomere length of children and adolescents exposed to risk factors (different forms of abuse and bullying), that possibly develop some type of psychiatric illness in future.