People generally believe that stress accelerates the aging process, and those who struggle with life appear older than their actual age. People often attribute their hair to grayish white or excessive hair loss in a short period of time, due to difficult work or tense interpersonal relationships. Psychiatrists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the United States have pointed out that there are multiple biological measurement methods associated with stress and mental illness. Many of these measurement methods are epigenetic variables, such as telomere length and DNA methylation, which affect gene expression rather than the gene sequence itself. These measurement methods are related to lifespan, healthy lifespan (maintaining good health), and age-related diseases. However, it has been proven that the causal arrow between biological age and mental health has two directions, so biological aging can affect mental health. Other studies have shown that biomarkers of aging can significantly predict whether a person will develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after experiencing trauma. During the follow-up period, people with the most signs of aging are 44% more likely to develop PTSD than those with the least signs of aging. Similar results have also been found in anxiety and depression, where aging markers can predict depression and anxiety over the next 8-9 years. These processes can reinforce each other over time, forming a vicious cycle. Mental illness leads to biological aging, thereby increasing the risk of developing more mental illnesses. This process is triggered by stress and trauma, which simultaneously lead to biological aging and mental illness. It is currently unclear how psychological stress and trauma transform signs of physical wear and aging. Researchers hypothesize that continuously elevated neuroendocrine effectors, such as stress hormone cortisol, may damage susceptible parts of genetic material and other biological structures. These genomic effects can lead to changes in brain structure, such as atrophy of the regions responsible for emotions and memory deep in the brain, thinning of the prefrontal cortex, and small vessel diseases in the brain. These changes in brain regions can make a person more susceptible to mental illness. The viewpoint article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Psychiatry suggests that although this vicious cycle paints a bleak picture for those who have experienced it, there are also reasons for hope. The treatment for improving mental health will have a dual effect, that is, it can reduce biological aging; The opposite is also true. Interventions to prevent aging may also have a positive impact on mental health. Interventions include drug therapy and neuromodulation, the latter of which involves using a device to alter activity in specific areas of the brain. For example, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) uses magnetic pulses to alter brain activity in corresponding regions. However, other interventions to prevent biological aging and protect mental health may be both simple and inexpensive, such as diet and exercise. Although there is still a lot of work to be done in this field, one message is clear: anything you do to protect your physical and mental health will help you live a longer and happier life. (Lai Xin She)
Edit：GuoGuo Responsible editor：FangZhiYou
Source：people.cn
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