Telomeres
Title
Telomeres
Author
Adler, Nancy
O'Donovan, Aoife
Research Area
Special Areas of Interdisciplinary Study
Topic
Genetics, the Individual and Society
Abstract
Telomeres cap the ends of chromosomes in the cell and their length provides a marker of cellular aging. As people age, their telomeres generally shorten, a process that is accelerated by exposure to chronic stress as well as by health behaviors such as smoking, lack of exercise, and poor diet. Individuals who are lower on the social hierarchy have shorter telomeres on average, providing evidence of the health‐damaging effects of social disadvantage.