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Updated: Jun 7, 2025
Telomere Length and Telomerase Activity; A Yin and Yang of Cell Senescence
Published on: May 22, 2013
Telomere length as a biomarker for cerebrovascular diseases: current evidence
Lívia da Cunha Agostini1, Glenda Nicioli da Silva2,3
1Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas (CiPharma), Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil.
Insights
Shorter telomere length is linked to increased risk of cerebrovascular disease (CVD), including stroke. Measuring telomere length may aid in CVD prevention and diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Genetics
- Cardiovascular Science
Background:
- Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) encompasses conditions affecting brain blood vessels, leading to reduced blood flow.
- Stroke, a primary CVD manifestation, is a leading cause of death and disability globally.
- Established CVD risk factors include hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and obesity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the scientific literature on the association between telomere length and cerebrovascular disease.
- To highlight the clinical significance of telomere length as a potential biomarker for CVD.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature analysis of studies indexed in PubMed, Scopus, and SciELO.
- Data compilation and synthesis of findings up to 2024 regarding telomere length and CVD.
Main Results:
- Shorter telomere length is significantly associated with increased risk across various CVD types, including ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.
- Evidence suggests a particular link between shorter telomeres and ischemic stroke.
- Telomere length variability is observed across different stroke subtypes.
Conclusions:
- Shorter telomere length is a potential indicator for cerebrovascular disease risk.
- Telomere length measurement could serve as a valuable biomarker for improving CVD prevention, diagnosis, and management strategies.
Abstract:
Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) includes a range of conditions affecting the brain's blood vessels, which can result in reduced blood flow to brain tissue. The most common manifestation of CVD is stroke, the second leading cause of death and the third leading cause of disability worldwide. Major risk factors for CVD encompass gender, age, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, physical inactivity, obesity, alcohol consumption, and metabolic syndrome. Research suggests a link between telomere length and an increased risk of CVD, particularly in ischemic stroke cases. This review highlights key findings on the relationship between telomere length and CVD, underscoring its clinical importance. The analysis utilizes scientific literature from PubMed, Scopus, and SciELO up to 2024. Results show that shorter telomere length is associated with various types of CVD, including stroke, ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, and cardioembolic stroke. Some studies propose that telomere length measurement could be a valuable biomarker for CVD, potentially improving prevention, diagnosis, and management strategies.
