Connecting cognition, cardiology, and chromosomes: Cognitive reappraisal impacts the relationship between heart rate variability and telomere length in CD8+CD28– cells

Abstract

Individuals who poorly regulate emotion exhibit premature aging and worse general health. Telomere shortening, a prognostic biomarker of physical health, is related to aging, poor immunocompetence and autonomic nervous system functioning. Cognitive reappraisal is one type of emotion regulation strategy, which involves changing one's appraisal of an aversive situation to modify its emotional impact. Heart rate variability (HRV; i.e., oscillations in heart rate) relates to emotion regulatory processes, such that higher HRV typically reflects greater regulatory capacity. Previous research has identified a positive association between HRV and telomere length. Importantly, the association between HRV and telomere length may change depending on how often an individual uses cognitive reappraisal. One hundred and thirty-seven healthy participants completed measures of cognitive reappraisal frequency, HRV, and underwent blood draws to measure telomere length (computed with the relative ratio of telomere repeat copy number to single copy gene number) in the T cell effector population, CD8 + CD28 −. Cognitive reappraisal moderated the relationship between telomere length and HRV such that individuals with high cognitive reappraisal frequency had a significant positive association between HRV and telomere length, while individuals with average and less than average frequency did not exhibit this relationship. The results suggest that frequent usage of cognitive reappraisal enhances the already positive influence of HRV on chromosomal integrity in CD8 + CD28 − T lymphocytes. Although future research is needed to test these effects causally, these findings suggest that regularly using emotion regulation techniques may buffer the relationship between autonomic nervous system functioning and chromosomal integrity in immune cells.

Prefrontally modulated vagal neuroimmunomodulation is associated with telomere length

“…Thus, in the present sample, vmHRV was not associated with CRP, which is in contrast to the findings of Williams et al (2019) . Moreover, while the association between vmHRV and telomere length is in line with previous findings ( Zalli et al, 2014 ; Perseguini et al, 2015 ; Streltsova et al, 2017 ; Woody et al, 2017 ; Wilson et al, 2019 ; Shahane et al, 2020 ), CRP did not mediate the relationship between vmHRV and telomere length, in contrast to the postulated hypothesis ( Ask et al, 2018 ).…”

“…Low capacity for prefrontal vagal modulation translates to low vmHRV ( Thayer and Lane, 2000 ), indicating reduced vagal input to the spleen and increased inflammation ( Williams et al, 2019 ). Increased inflammatory load is negatively associated with telomere length ( Fitzpatrick et al, 2007 ; O’Donovan et al, 2011 ; Masi et al, 2012 ; Wong et al, 2014 ), while indicators of vagal tone such as respiratory sinus arrhythmia ( Kroenke et al, 2011 ) and vmHRV is positively associated with telomere length ( Zalli et al, 2014 ; Perseguini et al, 2015 ; Streltsova et al, 2017 ; Woody et al, 2017 ; Wilson et al, 2019 ; Shahane et al, 2020 ). Together, the outlined above mechanisms are how the NISIM relates psychological stress regulation capacity to cellular senescence in a dynamic framework that accounts for some of the inter-individual differences in the expression of age-related phenotypes ( Ask et al, 2018 ).…”

Associations Between Linguistic Markers of Emotion Regulation and Cardiovascular Disease-Related Inflammation

“…Additional work has begun to tap into the connection between cognitive reappraisal and psychoneuroimmunology; for example, those who use cognitive reappraisal less frequently have heightened production of nasal cytokines [50]. Additionally, cognitive reappraisal has been shown to moderate the relationship between heart rate variability and telomere length of lymphocytes [7]. The present work extends these investigations to include assessing implicit cognitive reappraisal via linguistic distancing and its relationship to a validated and clinically meaningful biomarker of systemic inflammation.…”

“…Cognitive reappraisal is an adaptive strategy to regulate one's emotions, that involves changing the meaning of an emotionally evocative stimulus [1,2,3]. Indeed, the ability to manage emotions is vital for physical and mental well-being [1,4] and has been shown to be associated with several positive health indicators [2,4,5,6,7,8]. Cognitive reappraisal can be implemented in several ways; one tactic of interest is psychological distancing.…”

Novel Insight into Neuroimmune Regulatory Mechanisms and Biomarkers Linking Major Depression and Vascular Diseases: The Dilemma Continues

“…Vagal efferents affect immune responses in the gut via the enteric nervous system, and both vagal and dorsal root ganglion afferents trigger immunomodulatory responses via the antidromic release of neuropeptides and other signals at the target organs [5]. In addition, a recent study referred to the relationship between ANS function and chromosomal integrity in CD8+CD28-T lymphocytes [75]. With respect to regulation, the CNS controls the immune response through the ANS.…”