Biology Talk

rpautrey2 · Guest

Mechanism Behind Mind-body Connection Discovered

ScienceDaily (July 16, 2008) — Every cell contains a tiny clock called
a telomere, which shortens each time the cell divides. Short telomeres
are linked to a range of human diseases, including HIV, osteoporosis,
heart disease and aging. Previous studies show that an enzyme within
the cell, called telomerase, keeps immune cells young by preserving
their telomere length and ability to continue dividing.

UCLA scientists found that the stress hormone cortisol suppresses
immune cells' ability to activate their telomerase. This may explain
why the cells of persons under chronic stress have shorter telomeres.

The study reveals how stress makes people more susceptible to illness.
The findings also suggest a potential drug target for preventing
damage to the immune systems of persons who are under long-term
stress, such as caregivers to chronically ill family members, as well
as astronauts, soldiers, air traffic controllers and people who drive
long daily commutes.

Rita Effros, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and a member of the Jonsson
Cancer Center, Molecular Biology Institute and UCLA AIDS Institute, is
available for interviews.

"When the body is under stress, it boosts production of cortisol to
support a "fight or flight" response," explains Effros. "If the
hormone remains elevated in the bloodstream for long periods of time,
though, it wears down the immune system. We are testing therapeutic
ways of enhancing telomerase levels to help the immune system ward off
cortisol's effect. If we're successful, one day a pill may exist to
strengthen the immune system's ability to weather chronic emotional
stress."

The research was published in the May issue of the peer-reviewed
journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity.

The study was supported by the National Institute of Aging, National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, the Geron Corp. and TA
Therapeutics, Ltd.

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Adapted from materials provided by University of California - Los
Angeles, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

University of California - Los Angeles (2008, July 16). Mechanism
Behind Mind-body Connection Discovered. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July
17, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/
2008/07/080715152325.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080715152325.htm