Building Resilience for Generations: The Tip of the Chromosome

Drury discusses the study by Verner et al which presents data suggesting that although maternal stress and exposures during pregnancy have negative consequences for the child, maternal resilience, a complex and difficult-to-define construct, may protect the child down to the very tips of his or her...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of psychiatry 2021-02, Vol.178 (2), p.113-115
Main Author: Drury, Stacy S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chromosomes
Family
Family Characteristics
Female
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Maternal & child health
Pregnancy
Prospective Studies
Resilience, Psychological
Stress
Studies
Telomere
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Summary:Drury discusses the study by Verner et al which presents data suggesting that although maternal stress and exposures during pregnancy have negative consequences for the child, maternal resilience, a complex and difficult-to-define construct, may protect the child down to the very tips of his or her chromosomes. Telomeres, the tiny DNA, RNA, and protein cap found at the end of every eukaryotic chromosome, play a complex role in cellular processes, including not only cellular senescence and apoptosis but also chromosomal transcriptional regulation, chromosome stability, mitochondrial function, meiotic regulation, and cellular differentiation. Meta-analytic studies have associated telomere length (TL)--measured in a variety of different tissues, including peripheral blood, saliva, and buccal swabs--with more than 50 different conditions, including psychosocial stress and early-life adversity.
ISSN:0002-953X
1535-7228
DOI:10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.20121778