Improvement in indices of cellular protection after psychological treatment for social anxiety disorder, 2019, Mansson et al

[Andy]

Telomere attrition is a hallmark of cellular aging and shorter telomeres have been reported in mood and anxiety disorders. Telomere shortening is counteracted by the enzyme telomerase and cellular protection is also provided by the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GPx).

Here, telomerase, GPx, and telomeres were investigated in 46 social anxiety disorder (SAD) patients in a within-subject design with repeated measures before and after cognitive behavioral therapy. Treatment outcome was assessed by the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (self-report), administered three times before treatment to control for time and regression artifacts, and posttreatment. Venipunctures were performed twice before treatment, separated by 9 weeks, and once posttreatment. Telomerase activity and telomere length were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and GPx activity in plasma. All patients contributed with complete data.

Results showed that social anxiety symptom severity was significantly reduced from pretreatment to posttreatment (Cohen’s d = 1.46). There were no significant alterations in telomeres or cellular protection markers before treatment onset. Telomere length and telomerase activity did not change significantly after treatment, but an increase in telomerase over treatment was associated with reduced social anxiety. Also, lower pretreatment telomerase activity predicted subsequent symptom improvement. GPx activity increased significantly during treatment, and increases were significantly associated with symptom improvement. The relationships between symptom improvement and putative protective enzymes remained significant also after controlling for body mass index, sex, duration of SAD, smoking, concurrent psychotropic medication, and the proportion of lymphocytes to monocytes.

Thus, indices of cellular protection may be involved in the therapeutic mechanisms of psychological treatment for anxiety.

Open access, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-019-0668-2

 

[Wonko]

So CBT now reverses aging?

 

[Invisible Woman]

So CBT now reverses aging?

Nah. Probably just makes it feel like you're living longer. You know, those half hours or so spent repeatedly filling in the same form probably felt like days.

 

[rvallee]

So CBT now reverses aging?

Nope.

Telomere length and telomerase activity did not change significantly after treatment, but an increase in telomerase over treatment was associated with reduced social anxiety

It shows that what has been labeled "anxiety" here is likely better explained by physiological processes that we don't understand yet. Especially as we know all too well that in clinical psychology, unexplained illness = health anxiety, they can't and don't differentiate and always argue for the same conclusion.

So typical causality reversal here, as is tradition. Mental health needs a full reboot, it's just embarrassing at this point.

 

[shak8]

What a waste of resources; an ego trip.

 

[Mithriel]

Psychological treatment can help social anxiety by giving patients techniques to help them. Things like reciting the alphabet or tapping your arm, taking deep breaths, things like that. They also do role play for situations. It is all designed to help with the flood of adrenalin in situations other people do not find threatening.

So even if it does what they say it is like giving someone with a broken leg a wheelchair; they might be able to move around a bit but it does nothing for the underlying problem.

It is also presented as a treatment which makes it less likely that anyone will research the question of why some people have such an overwhelming response to things that healthy people do not.

All this shows that these CBT proponents fail everyone, not just those with ME.