O1.6. TELOMERE LENGTH IS ASSOCIATED WITH CHILDHOOD TRAUMA IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE MENTAL DISORDERS

Abstract

Background: Reduced Telomere Length (TL) and structural brain abnormalities have been reported in patients with Schizophrenia (SZ) and Bipolar Disorder (BD). Childhood traumatic events are more frequent in SZ and BD than in Healthy individuals (HC), and based on recent findings in healthy individuals could represent one important factor for TL and brain aberrations in patients. Methods: The study comprised 1,024 individuals (SZ [n=373]; BD [n=249], and HC [n=402]). TL was measured by polymerase chain reaction, and childhood trauma was assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Diagnosis was obtained by the Structured Clinical Interview (SCID) for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV). FreeSurfer was used to obtain regional and global brain volumes from T1- weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans. All analyses were adjusted for current age and sex. Results: Patients had on average shorter TL (F=7.87, p=.005, Cohen's d=.17) and reported more childhood trauma experiences than HC (χ2=148.9, p