Pessimistic orientation in relation to telomere length in older men: the VA normative aging study.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Prospective cohort study with repeated measures over time
PubMed 24636503 · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.01.001
What was done
Researchers evaluated 490 older men (1,010 total observations from 1999 to 2008) in the VA Normative Aging Study to examine whether optimistic or pessimistic orientations relate to leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and its rate of attrition. Dispositional optimism and pessimism were measured at baseline using the Life Orientation Test (LOT). Relative LTL was measured repeatedly as the telomere-to-single-copy-gene (T:S) ratio. Linear mixed-effects models with random subject intercepts assessed associations between psychological orientation, mean LTL, and change in LTL over time.
What was found
A 1-SD increase in baseline pessimistic orientation score was associated with a 3.08% shorter average LTL (95% CI: -5.62% to -0.46%), which remained significant after adjusting for healthy-participant follow-up bias (-3.44%, 95% CI: -5.95% to -0.86%). However, pessimism scores were not associated with the rate of LTL change over time. Overall optimism and optimistic subscale scores showed no significant association with LTL.
Why it matters
This study shows that while pessimism is cross-sectionally linked to shorter telomeres in older adults, it does not accelerate ongoing telomere shortening during later life, suggesting that biological impacts of pessimism may occur earlier in the life course.
Limits
The cohort consisted exclusively of older men, limiting generalizability to women or younger populations. Optimism and pessimism were assessed only at baseline rather than longitudinally. Telomere length was measured in mixed leukocytes rather than specific cell types, and potential unmeasured lifestyle or medical confounders could explain the baseline association.
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