Association of Short-term Change in Leukocyte Telomere Length With Cortical Thickness and Outcomes of Mental Training Among Healthy Adults

Key Points Question Is naturally occurring short-term change in leukocyte telomere length related to structural plasticity of the brain, and can telomere length be influenced through mental training? Findings In this randomized clinical trial of 298 healthy adults, the mental training intervention did not affect leukocyte telomere length. Naturally occurring change in leukocyte telomere length over 3 consecutive 3-month intervals was significantly associated with cortical thickness change in the left precuneus extending to the posterior cingulate cortex. Meaning This study provides the first evidence to date for an association between short-term change in leukocyte telomere length and brain structure, suggesting that these processes may be mechanistically linked; the mental training used did not influence leukocyte telomere length of healthy, middle-aged adults.