In a recent Washington Post article on the medical advances to understand and extend longevity, youthful cells were described as having the ability to detect and repair DNA damage, keep up energy production, dispose of waste, send out the right chemical messages and stay attached to other cells. Scientists have identified genes that control those activities.
Emerging research in genetics investigates how stimulating or blocking certain genes can lengthen a healthy life. Just this year, a Nobel Prize winning geneticist ventured into psychology by theorizing that how we think (specifically negative thought patterns) accelerates the aging process.
Molecular biologist Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2009 for her discovery of telomeres, which play a role in aging. In her new book The Telomere Effect, one chapter focuses on how negative thinking can increase the unraveling of telomeres and, subsequently, speed up our aging.
How telomere shortening plays a role in aging
Telomeres are tails of extra DNA on the end of our chromosomes. Like the plastic tip on shoelaces, they protect the chromosomes. As we age and cells divide, telomeres get shorter. Oxidative stress, from diet, smoking and stress, also contributes to telomere shortening. When telomeres are too short, they can no longer be replicated, and the cell becomes senescent, or biologically old. Short telomeres have also been associated with higher risk for heart disease, diabetes and poor immune function.
Your cells are listening to your thoughts
Dr. Blackburn writes that in order to foster healthy cell renewal, it’s important to watch and modify your thoughts. She reports that people who score high on measures of cynical hostility have shorter telomeres.
In one study she cites, hostile men were found to have short telomeres and high telomerase (the enzyme in cells that keep telomeres in shape) suggesting that their stress response was broken from overuse and the telomerase was no longer having an effect. Cynical hostility was defined by high anger and frequent thoughts that people can’t be trusted. These men were highly vulnerable to early disease, had fewer social connections and were less optimistic.
Dr. Blackburn cited similar findings for four other negative thought patterns (pessimism, rumination, mind wandering and thought suppression), which were all automatic, exaggerated and controlling thought patterns.
Develop resilient thinking to boost cellular health
In her book, Dr. Blackburn recommends developing thought awareness to create more resilient and mindful responses, and in turn, prevent accelerated aging of the telomeres. Dr. Ricardo Flamenbaum, a psychologist at Medcan, works with clients on this type of resilient thinking.
“We can’t necessarily unlearn negative thinking patterns,” says Dr. Flamenbaum. “But we can work on balancing those negative thoughts with more positive or helpful ways of thinking.”
Dr. Flamenbaum uses different methods to help clients modify their thoughts so they are more beneficial and productive. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps identify automatic pessimistic or cynical responses to situations and the feelings and emotions that are generated with that response. CBT helps to slow down those reactions and pay attention to the thoughts, and eventually shift it to a more productive problem solving strategy. To combat thought suppression, Dr. Flamenbaum may use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) which helps foster acceptance for negative feelings or thoughts through mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness may also be recommended for mind wandering.
Psychological impact on our genes: still an emerging field
Allison Hazell, Clinical Director of Genetics at Medcan, is cautiously optimistic about the promise of telomere health.
“There is no doubt that psychological stress can and does negatively impact our health. So, it theoretically makes sense that lifestyle choices that reduce stress would have a positive impact,” says Hazell. “While I think the telomere connection is an interesting finding, the data is limited and the studies are related to small sample sizes. A certain level of healthy skepticism is important. In order for this to really gain scientific traction, we need large data-sets and meta-analysis of the data to truly determine health impact.”
Whether positive thinking protects your DNA may yet be accepted across the board. What we do know is that resilient thinking keeps your brain younger and leads to greater levels of happiness. And those seem reason enough to practise a new way of thinking.