About this Research Topic
Chronic stress is a major risk factor for a range of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, depression, and cognitive impairment. As a critical system that mediates the body's response to stress, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been linked to accelerated aging and telomere shortening, which are markers of cellular senescence and disease risk.
Recent advances in the field have identified new mechanisms underlying the effects of stress on aging and health, which significantly improved our understanding of the links between stress, aging, and disease risk and have highlighted novel targets for therapeutic interventions.
This Research Topic welcomes contributions of any type (clinical trial, correction, editorial, general commentary, hypothesis & theory, methods, mini review, opinion, original research, perspective, policy and practice reviews, review, study protocol, systematic review, technology and code) on topics around Chronic Stress and Aging, including but not limited to:
- HPA axis dysregulation with aging: Aging is associated with dysregulation of the HPA axis, leading to increased cortisol secretion, reduced glucocorticoid receptor sensitivity, and other changes that contribute to cellular senescence and disease risk.
- Telomere dynamics and aging: Telomeres are the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that shorten with each cell division. Telomere shortening is a marker of cellular senescence and has been linked to a range of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cognitive decline.
- Chronic stress and telomere shortening: Chronic stress and changes in the neuroendocrine response have been linked to accelerated telomere shortening and alterations of telomerase activity, which may contribute to the increased risk of disease associated with chronic stress.
- Molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of stress on aging: Recent research has identified new mechanisms underlying the effects of chronic stress on aging, including mitochondrial dysfunction, changes in DNA methylation, autophagy, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation.
- Therapeutic interventions to reduce the effects of chronic stress: Advances in our understanding of the links between chronic stress, the HPA axis, aging, and telomere biology have identified not only new targets for therapeutic interventions, but also non-pharmacologic, preventive strategies such as stress reduction techniques, mindfulness, exercise, and dietary interventions.
Recent advances in the field have identified new mechanisms underlying the effects of stress on aging and health, which significantly improved our understanding of the links between stress, aging, and disease risk and have highlighted novel targets for therapeutic interventions.
This Research Topic welcomes contributions of any type (clinical trial, correction, editorial, general commentary, hypothesis & theory, methods, mini review, opinion, original research, perspective, policy and practice reviews, review, study protocol, systematic review, technology and code) on topics around Chronic Stress and Aging, including but not limited to:
- HPA axis dysregulation with aging: Aging is associated with dysregulation of the HPA axis, leading to increased cortisol secretion, reduced glucocorticoid receptor sensitivity, and other changes that contribute to cellular senescence and disease risk.
- Telomere dynamics and aging: Telomeres are the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that shorten with each cell division. Telomere shortening is a marker of cellular senescence and has been linked to a range of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cognitive decline.
- Chronic stress and telomere shortening: Chronic stress and changes in the neuroendocrine response have been linked to accelerated telomere shortening and alterations of telomerase activity, which may contribute to the increased risk of disease associated with chronic stress.
- Molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of stress on aging: Recent research has identified new mechanisms underlying the effects of chronic stress on aging, including mitochondrial dysfunction, changes in DNA methylation, autophagy, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation.
- Therapeutic interventions to reduce the effects of chronic stress: Advances in our understanding of the links between chronic stress, the HPA axis, aging, and telomere biology have identified not only new targets for therapeutic interventions, but also non-pharmacologic, preventive strategies such as stress reduction techniques, mindfulness, exercise, and dietary interventions.
Keywords: chronic stress, early life stress, HPA axis, hippocampus, glucocorticoids, telomere shortening, aging, autophagy, apoptosis, senescence, mitochondrial dysfunction
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