Recent study has shown that adults who had suffered from physical or emotional abuse during their childhood age faster as compared to the adults who had happy childhood.

Research team from Butler Hospital and Brown University found that adults who had been through psychological trauma during childhood are more likely to have accelerated cellular aging.

There is an accelerated reduction in the size of telomeres of these adults. Telomeres are the “caps” on the end of chromosomes that keep a cell's DNA stable however telomeres shorten with time.

Research team analyzed data collected from 22 women and nine men between ages 18 and 64. The DNA extracted from blood samples of study subjects was measured.

Data analysis showed that there was accelerated shortening of telomeres in adults who had stressful childhood. Earlier, studies have shown that exposure to toxins such as radiation or cigarette smoke can lead to shortening of telomeres at higher rate.

Lead researcher, Dr. Audrey Tyrka said: “We don’t know what the full implications of this are yet. Shorter telomere lengths are linked to aging and certain diseases, so it is possible that this is a mechanism of risk for illness following childhood abuse. But the precise role of telomeres in this process remains to be determined.”