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Jindal M, Chhetri A, Ludhiadch A, Singh P, Peer S, Singh J, Brar RS, Munshi A. Neuroimaging Genomics a Predictor of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:3427-3440. [PMID: 37989980 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03775-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Depression is a complex psychiatric disorder influenced by various genetic and environmental factors. Strong evidence has established the contribution of genetic factors in depression through twin studies and the heritability rate for depression has been reported to be 37%. Genetic studies have identified genetic variations associated with an increased risk of developing depression. Imaging genetics is an integrated approach where imaging measures are combined with genetic information to explore how specific genetic variants contribute to brain abnormalities. Neuroimaging studies allow us to examine both structural and functional abnormalities in individuals with depression. This review has been designed to study the correlation of the significant genetic variants with different regions of neural activity, connectivity, and structural alteration in the brain as detected by imaging techniques to understand the scope of biomarkers in depression. This might help in developing novel therapeutic interventions targeting specific genetic pathways or brain circuits and the underlying pathophysiology of depression based on this integrated approach can be established at length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manav Jindal
- Department of Radiodiagnosis, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bathinda, India
| | - Aakash Chhetri
- Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, 151401, India
| | - Abhilash Ludhiadch
- Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, 151401, India
| | - Paramdeep Singh
- Department of Radiodiagnosis, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bathinda, India
| | - Sameer Peer
- Department of Radiodiagnosis, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bathinda, India
| | - Jawahar Singh
- Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bathinda, India
| | - Rahatdeep Singh Brar
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Center, Mohali, India
| | - Anjana Munshi
- Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, 151401, India.
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Mbiydzenyuy NE, Joanna Hemmings SM, Shabangu TW, Qulu-Appiah L. Exploring the influence of stress on aggressive behavior and sexual function: Role of neuromodulator pathways and epigenetics. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27501. [PMID: 38486749 PMCID: PMC10937706 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Stress is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that can significantly influence both aggressive behavior and sexual function. This review explores the intricate relationship between stress, neuromodulator pathways, and epigenetics, shedding light on the various mechanisms that underlie these connections. While the role of stress in both aggression and sexual behavior is well-documented, the mechanisms through which it exerts its effects are multifarious and not yet fully understood. The review begins by delving into the potential influence of stress on the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, glucocorticoids, and the neuromodulators involved in the stress response. The intricate interplay between these systems, which encompasses the regulation of stress hormones, is central to understanding how stress may contribute to aggressive behavior and sexual function. Several neuromodulator pathways are implicated in both stress and behavior regulation. We explore the roles of norepinephrine, serotonin, oxytocin, and androgens in mediating the effects of stress on aggression and sexual function. It is important to distinguish between general sexual behavior, sexual motivation, and the distinct category of "sexual aggression" as separate constructs, each necessitating specific examination. Additionally, epigenetic mechanisms emerge as crucial factors that link stress to changes in gene expression patterns and, subsequently, to behavior. We then discuss how epigenetic modifications can occur in response to stress exposure, altering the regulation of genes associated with stress, aggression, and sexual function. While numerous studies support the association between epigenetic changes and stress-induced behavior, more research is necessary to establish definitive links. Throughout this exploration, it becomes increasingly clear that the relationship between stress, neuromodulator pathways, and epigenetics is intricate and multifaceted. The review emphasizes the need for further research, particularly in the context of human studies, to provide clinical significance and to validate the existing findings from animal models. By better understanding how stress influences aggressive behavior and sexual function through neuromodulator pathways and epigenetic modifications, this research aims to contribute to the development of innovative protocols of precision medicine and more effective strategies for managing the consequences of stress on human behavior. This may also pave way for further research into risk factors and underlying mechanisms that may associate stress with sexual aggression which finds application not only in neuroscience, but also law, ethics, and the humanities in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ngala Elvis Mbiydzenyuy
- Basic Science Department, School of Medicine, Copperbelt University, P.O Box 71191, Ndola, Zambia
- Division of Medical Physiology, Biomedical Science Research Institute, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, Cape Town South Africa
| | - Sian Megan Joanna Hemmings
- Division of Molecular Biology & Human Genetics, Biomedical Science Research Institute, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, Cape Town South Africa
| | - Thando W. Shabangu
- Division of Medical Physiology, Biomedical Science Research Institute, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, Cape Town South Africa
| | - Lihle Qulu-Appiah
- Division of Medical Physiology, Biomedical Science Research Institute, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, Cape Town South Africa
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3
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Kremer TL, Chen J, Buhl A, Berhe O, Bilek E, Geiger-Primo L, Ma R, Moessnang C, Reichert M, Reinhard I, Schwarz K, Schweiger JI, Streit F, Witt SH, Zang Z, Zhang X, Noethen MM, Rietschel M, Ebner-Priemer UW, Schwarz E, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Braun U, Tost H. Multimodal Associations of FKBP5 Methylation with Emotion-Regulatory Brain Circuits. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)01141-7. [PMID: 38460581 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding the biological processes underlying individual differences in emotion regulation and stress responsivity is a key challenge for translational neuroscience. The gene FKBP5 is a core regulator in molecular stress signaling that is implicated in the development of psychiatric disorders. Yet it remains unclear how FKBP5 DNA methylation (DNAm) in peripheral blood relates to individual differences in measures of neural structure and function, and their relevance to daily-life stress responsivity. METHODS Here, we characterize multimodal correlates of FKBP5 DNAm by combining epigenetic data with neuroimaging and Ambulatory Assessment in a sample of 395 healthy individuals. RESULTS First, we show that FKBP5 demethylation as a psychiatric risk factor relates to an anxiety-associated reduction of gray matter volume in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), a brain area that is involved in emotion regulation and mental health risk and resilience. This effect of epigenetic upregulation of FKBP5 on neuronal structure is more pronounced where FKBP5 is epigenetically downregulated at baseline. Leveraging 208 functional MRI scans during a well-established emotion processing task we find that FKBP5 DNAm in peripheral blood is associated with functional difference of prefrontal-limbic circuits modulating affective responsivity to daily stressors, which we measured using ecological momentary assessment in daily life. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we demonstrate how FKBP5 contributes to interindividual differences in neural and real-life affect regulation via structural and functional changes in prefrontal-limbic brain circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas L Kremer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Junfang Chen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; Current address: Center for Intelligent Medicine Research, Greater Bay Area Institute of Precision Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Anais Buhl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Oksana Berhe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Edda Bilek
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Lena Geiger-Primo
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Ren Ma
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Carolin Moessnang
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; Current address: Faculty for Applied Psychology, SRH University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Reichert
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; Mental mHealth Lab, Chair of Applied Psychology, Institute of Sports and Sports Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany; Department of eHealth and Sports Analytics, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Iris Reinhard
- Department of Biostatistics, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Kristina Schwarz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; Current address: Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Janina I Schweiger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Fabian Streit
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Stephanie H Witt
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Zhenxiang Zang
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; Current address: Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaolong Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Markus M Noethen
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Department of Genomics, Life & Brain Center, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Marcella Rietschel
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Ulrich W Ebner-Priemer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; Mental mHealth Lab, Chair of Applied Psychology, Institute of Sports and Sports Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Emanuel Schwarz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Urs Braun
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Heike Tost
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
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Mallick R, Duttaroy AK. Epigenetic modification impacting brain functions: Effects of physical activity, micronutrients, caffeine, toxins, and addictive substances. Neurochem Int 2023; 171:105627. [PMID: 37827244 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2023.105627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Changes in gene expression are involved in many brain functions. Epigenetic processes modulate gene expression by histone modification and DNA methylation or RNA-mediated processes, which is important for brain function. Consequently, epigenetic changes are also a part of brain diseases such as mental illness and addiction. Understanding the role of different factors on the brain epigenome may help us understand the function of the brain. This review discussed the effects of caffeine, lipids, addictive substances, physical activity, and pollutants on the epigenetic changes in the brain and their modulatory effects on brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Mallick
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Finland
| | - Asim K Duttaroy
- Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, POB 1046 Blindern, Oslo, Norway.
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Woo T, King C, Ahmed NI, Cordes M, Nistala S, Will MJ, Bloomer C, Kibiryeva N, Rivera RM, Talebizadeh Z, Beversdorf DQ. microRNA as a Maternal Marker for Prenatal Stress-Associated ASD, Evidence from a Murine Model. J Pers Med 2023; 13:1412. [PMID: 37763179 PMCID: PMC10533003 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13091412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been associated with a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. Prenatal stress exposure has been identified as a possible risk factor, although most stress-exposed pregnancies do not result in ASD. The serotonin transporter (SERT) gene has been linked to stress reactivity, and the presence of the SERT short (S)-allele has been shown to mediate the association between maternal stress exposure and ASD. In a mouse model, we investigated the effects of prenatal stress exposure and maternal SERT genotype on offspring behavior and explored its association with maternal microRNA (miRNA) expression during pregnancy. Pregnant female mice were divided into four groups based on genotype (wildtype or SERT heterozygous knockout (Sert-het)) and the presence or absence of chronic variable stress (CVS) during pregnancy. Offspring behavior was assessed at 60 days old (PD60) using the three-chamber test, open field test, elevated plus-maze test, and marble-burying test. We found that the social preference index (SPI) of SERT-het/stress offspring was significantly lower than that of wildtype control offspring, indicating a reduced preference for social interaction on social approach, specifically for males. SERT-het/stress offspring also showed significantly more frequent grooming behavior compared to wildtype controls, specifically for males, suggesting elevated repetitive behavior. We profiled miRNA expression in maternal blood samples collected at embryonic day 21 (E21) and identified three miRNAs (mmu-miR-7684-3p, mmu-miR-5622-3p, mmu-miR-6900-3p) that were differentially expressed in the SERT-het/stress group compared to all other groups. These findings suggest that maternal SERT genotype and prenatal stress exposure interact to influence offspring behavior, and that maternal miRNA expression late in pregnancy may serve as a potential marker of a particular subtype of ASD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taeseon Woo
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA;
| | - Candice King
- Department of Biological Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (C.K.); (M.C.)
| | - Nick I. Ahmed
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (N.I.A.); (M.J.W.)
| | - Madison Cordes
- Department of Biological Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (C.K.); (M.C.)
| | | | - Matthew J. Will
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (N.I.A.); (M.J.W.)
| | - Clark Bloomer
- Genomics Core, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Nataliya Kibiryeva
- College of Bioscience, Kansas City University, Kansas City, MO 64106, USA;
| | - Rocio M. Rivera
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA;
| | - Zohreh Talebizadeh
- American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA;
| | - David Q. Beversdorf
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA;
- Department of Radiology, Neurology, and Psychological Science, William and Nancy Thompson Endowed Chair in Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
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Yuan M, Yang B, Rothschild G, Mann JJ, Sanford LD, Tang X, Huang C, Wang C, Zhang W. Epigenetic regulation in major depression and other stress-related disorders: molecular mechanisms, clinical relevance and therapeutic potential. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:309. [PMID: 37644009 PMCID: PMC10465587 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01519-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a chronic, generally episodic and debilitating disease that affects an estimated 300 million people worldwide, but its pathogenesis is poorly understood. The heritability estimate of MDD is 30-40%, suggesting that genetics alone do not account for most of the risk of major depression. Another factor known to associate with MDD involves environmental stressors such as childhood adversity and recent life stress. Recent studies have emerged to show that the biological impact of environmental factors in MDD and other stress-related disorders is mediated by a variety of epigenetic modifications. These epigenetic modification alterations contribute to abnormal neuroendocrine responses, neuroplasticity impairment, neurotransmission and neuroglia dysfunction, which are involved in the pathophysiology of MDD. Furthermore, epigenetic marks have been associated with the diagnosis and treatment of MDD. The evaluation of epigenetic modifications holds promise for further understanding of the heterogeneous etiology and complex phenotypes of MDD, and may identify new therapeutic targets. Here, we review preclinical and clinical epigenetic findings, including DNA methylation, histone modification, noncoding RNA, RNA modification, and chromatin remodeling factor in MDD. In addition, we elaborate on the contribution of these epigenetic mechanisms to the pathological trait variability in depression and discuss how such mechanisms can be exploited for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minlan Yuan
- Mental Health Center and Psychiatric Laboratory, the State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Biao Yang
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Gerson Rothschild
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - J John Mann
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Division, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Department of Radiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Larry D Sanford
- Sleep Research Laboratory, Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Inflammatory Diseases, Pathology and Anatomy, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA
| | - Xiangdong Tang
- Sleep Medicine Center, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Mental Health Center, Translational Neuroscience Center, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Canhua Huang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Chuang Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, and Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology in School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315211, China.
| | - Wei Zhang
- Mental Health Center and Psychiatric Laboratory, the State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- West China Biomedical Big Data Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- Medical Big Data Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Nazzari S, Cagliero L, Grumi S, Pisoni E, Mallucci G, Bergamaschi R, Maccarini J, Giorda R, Provenzi L. Prenatal exposure to environmental air pollution and psychosocial stress jointly contribute to the epigenetic regulation of the serotonin transporter gene in newborns. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3503-3511. [PMID: 37542161 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02206-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
Antenatal exposures to maternal stress and to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) have been independently associated with developmental outcomes in early infancy and beyond. Knowledge about their joint impact, biological mechanisms of their effects and timing-effects, is still limited. Both PM2.5 and maternal stress exposure during pregnancy might result in altered patterns of DNA methylation in specific stress-related genes, such as the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4 DNAm), that might, in turn, influence infant development across several domains, including bio-behavioral, cognitive and socio-emotional domains. Here, we investigated the independent and interactive influence of variations in antenatal exposures to maternal pandemic-related stress (PRS) and PM2.5 on SLC6A4 DNAm levels in newborns. Mother-infant dyads (N = 307) were enrolled at delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Infants' methylation status was assessed in 13 CpG sites within the SLC6A4 gene's region (chr17:28562750-28562958) in buccal cells at birth and women retrospectively report on PRS. PM2.5 exposure throughout the entire gestation and at each gestational trimester was estimated using a spatiotemporal model based on residential address. Among several potentially confounding socio-demographic and health-related factors, infant's sex was significantly associated with infants' SLC6A4 DNAm levels, thus hierarchical regression models were adjusted for infant's sex. Higher levels of SLC6A4 DNAm at 6 CpG sites were found in newborns born to mothers reporting higher levels of antenatal PRS and greater PM2.5 exposure across gestation, while adjusting for infant's sex. These effects were especially evident when exposure to elevated PM2.5 occurred during the second trimester of pregnancy. Several important brain processes (e.g., synaptogenesis and myelination) occur during mid-pregnancy, potentially making the second trimester a sensitive time window for the effects of stress-related exposures. Understanding the interplay between environmental and individual-level stressors has important implications for the improvement of mother-infant health during and after the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Nazzari
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Lucia Cagliero
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Developmental Psychobiology Lab, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Serena Grumi
- Developmental Psychobiology Lab, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Enrico Pisoni
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | - Giulia Mallucci
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Neurocenter of South of Switzerland, EOC, Lugano, Switzerland
| | | | - Julia Maccarini
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Developmental Psychobiology Lab, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Roberto Giorda
- Molecular Biology Lab, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Livio Provenzi
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
- Developmental Psychobiology Lab, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.
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Kim HJ, Bang M, Park CI, Lee SH. Altered DNA Methylation of the Serotonin Transporter Gene Associated with Early Life Stress and White Matter Microalterations in Korean Patients with Panic Disorder. Neuropsychobiology 2023; 82:210-219. [PMID: 37231896 DOI: 10.1159/000530313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Changes in the DNA methylation of 5-HTTLPR are associated with the pathophysiology of panic disorder (PD). This study was conducted to investigate the association between stressful life events and the level of 5-HTTLPR methylation in patients with PD. We also examined whether these factors were associated with white matter alterations in psychological trauma-related regions. METHODS The participants comprised 232 patients with PD and 93 healthy adults of Korean descent. DNA methylation levels of five cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites in the 5-HTTLPR region were analyzed. Voxel-wise statistical analysis of diffusion tensor imaging data was performed within the trauma-related regions. RESULTS PD patients showed significantly lower levels of the DNA methylation at 5-HTTLPR 5 CpG sites than healthy controls. In patients with PD, the DNA methylation levels at 5-HTTLPR 5 CpG sites showed significant negative association with the parental separation-related psychological distress, and positive correlations with the fractional anisotropy values of the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) which might be related to trait anxiety. CONCLUSION Early life stress was significantly associated with DNA methylation levels at 5-HTTLPR related to the decreased white matter integrity in the SLF region in PD. Decreased white matter connectivity in the SLF might be related to trait anxiety and is vital to the pathophysiology of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Ju Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Minji Bang
- Department of Psychiatry, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Chun Il Park
- Department of Psychiatry, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Hyuk Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
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9
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Stoffel M, Rahn S, Neubauer AB, Moessner M, Aguilar-Raab C, Ditzen B. Associations of SLC6A4 methylation with salivary cortisol, salivary alpha-amylase, and subjective stress in everyday life. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 153:106283. [PMID: 37196602 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Dysregulations of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and sympatho-adrenal medullary (SAM) axis are associated with mental and somatic illness. However, there is lack of knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects. Epigenetic states in the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) were shown to be associated with stress in various forms. We hypothesized that levels of DNA methylation (DNAm) of SLC6A4 would be associated with altered SAM- and HPA regulation in daily life. N = 74 healthy persons participated in the study. An ecological momentary assessment (EMA) approach was used to assess indicators of stress in daily life. Each day included six concurrent assessments of saliva, to quantify cortisol (sCort; HPA axis) and alpha-amylase (sAA; SAM axis), and to assess self-reports on subjective stress. To assess SLC6A4 DNAm, peripheral blood was drawn and analyzed via bisulfite pyrosequencing. All data were assessed in two waves three months apart, each including two days of EMA and the assessment of SLC6A4 DNAm. Data were analyzed using multilevel models. On the between-person level, higher average levels of SLC6A4 DNAm were associated with higher average levels of sAA, but not with average levels of sCort. On the within-person level, higher levels of SLC6A4 DNAm were associated with lower levels of sAA and sCort. There were no associations of subjective stress with SLC6A4 DNAm. The results help to clarify the association between environmental stress and stress axes regulation, pointing towards an important role of differential within- and between-person effects of SLC6A4 DNAm, which might shape this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Stoffel
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg, Bergheimer Straße 20, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Stefanie Rahn
- Clinic of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology (DIR), Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 420, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas B Neubauer
- Department for Education and Human Development, DIPF | Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education, Rostocker Straße 6, 60323 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Markus Moessner
- Center for Psychotherapy Research, Heidelberg University Hospital, Bergheimer Str. 54, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Corina Aguilar-Raab
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg, Bergheimer Straße 20, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Beate Ditzen
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg, Bergheimer Straße 20, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany.
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10
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Models of gene-culture evolution are incomplete without incorporating epigenetic effects. Behav Brain Sci 2022; 45:e174. [PMID: 36098416 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x21001588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetics impacts gene-culture coevolution by amplifying phenotypic variation, including clustering, and bridging the difference in timescales between genetic and cultural evolution. The dual inheritance model described by Uchiyama et al. could be modified to provide greater explanatory power by incorporating epigenetic effects.
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11
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Lax E. DNA Methylation as a Therapeutic and Diagnostic Target in Major Depressive Disorder. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:759052. [PMID: 35431832 PMCID: PMC9006940 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.759052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elad Lax
- *Correspondence: Elad Lax ; orcid.org/0000-0002-0310-0520
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12
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Tan T, Xu Z, Gao C, Shen T, Li L, Chen Z, Chen L, Xu M, Chen B, Liu J, Zhang Z, Yuan Y. Influence and interaction of resting state functional magnetic resonance and tryptophan hydroxylase-2 methylation on short-term antidepressant drug response. BMC Psychiatry 2022; 22:218. [PMID: 35337298 PMCID: PMC8957120 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-03860-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most antidepressants have been developed on the basis of the monoamine deficiency hypothesis of depression, in which neuronal serotonin (5-HT) plays a key role. 5-HT biosynthesis is regulated by the rate-limiting enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (TPH2). TPH2 methylation is correlated with antidepressant effects. Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) is applied for detecting abnormal brain functional activity in patients with different antidepressant effects. We will investigate the effect of the interaction between rs-fMRI and TPH2 DNA methylation on the early antidepressant effects. METHODS A total of 300 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 100 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled, of which 60 patients with MDD were subjected to rs-fMRI. Antidepressant responses was assessed by a 50% reduction in 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17) scores at baseline and after two weeks of medication. The RESTPlus software in MATLAB was used to analyze the rs-fMRI data. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), fractional ALFF (fALFF), and functional connectivity (FC) were used, and the above results were used as regions of interest (ROIs) to extract the average value of brain ROIs regions in the RESTPlus software. Generalized linear model analysis was performed to analyze the association between abnormal activity found in rs-fMRI and the effect of TPH2 DNA methylation on antidepressant responses. RESULTS Two hundred ninety-one patients with MDD and 100 HCs were included in the methylation statistical analysis, of which 57 patients were included in the further rs-fMRI analysis (3 patients were excluded due to excessive head movement). 57 patients were divided into the responder group (n = 36) and the non-responder group (n = 21). Rs-fMRI results showed that the ALFF of the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) was significantly different between the two groups. The results showed that TPH2-1-43 methylation interacted with ALFF of left IFG to affect the antidepressant responses (p = 0.041, false discovery rate (FDR) corrected p = 0.149). CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrated that the differences in the ALFF of left IFG between the two groups and its association with TPH2 methylation affect short-term antidepressant drug responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Tan
- grid.452290.80000 0004 1760 6316Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 People’s Republic of China ,grid.263826.b0000 0004 1761 0489Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhi Xu
- Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China. .,Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China.
| | - Chenjie Gao
- grid.452290.80000 0004 1760 6316Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 People’s Republic of China ,grid.263826.b0000 0004 1761 0489Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 People’s Republic of China
| | - Tian Shen
- grid.452290.80000 0004 1760 6316Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 People’s Republic of China ,grid.89957.3a0000 0000 9255 8984Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Wuxi Mental Health Center, Nanjing Medical University, WuXi, 214123 People’s Republic of China
| | - Lei Li
- grid.263826.b0000 0004 1761 0489School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 People’s Republic of China
| | - Zimu Chen
- grid.452290.80000 0004 1760 6316Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 People’s Republic of China ,grid.263826.b0000 0004 1761 0489Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 People’s Republic of China
| | - Lei Chen
- grid.452290.80000 0004 1760 6316Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 People’s Republic of China ,Department of Psychology and Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210018 People’s Republic of China
| | - Min Xu
- grid.263826.b0000 0004 1761 0489Department of Anatomy, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 People’s Republic of China
| | - Bingwei Chen
- grid.263826.b0000 0004 1761 0489Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiacheng Liu
- grid.452290.80000 0004 1760 6316Department of Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhijun Zhang
- grid.452290.80000 0004 1760 6316Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 People’s Republic of China
| | - Yonggui Yuan
- grid.452290.80000 0004 1760 6316Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 People’s Republic of China ,grid.263826.b0000 0004 1761 0489Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 People’s Republic of China
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13
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Pfeiffer JR, van Rooij SJH, Mekawi Y, Fani N, Jovanovic T, Michopoulos V, Smith AK, Stevens JS, Uddin M. Blood-derived deoxyribonucleic acid methylation clusters associate with adverse social exposures and endophenotypes of stress-related psychiatric illness in a trauma-exposed cohort of women. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:892302. [PMID: 36405926 PMCID: PMC9668877 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.892302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Adverse social exposures (ASEs) such as low income, low educational attainment, and childhood/adult trauma exposure are associated with variability in brain region measurements of gray matter volume (GMV), surface area (SA), and cortical thickness (CT). These CNS morphometries are associated with stress-related psychiatric illnesses and represent endophenotypes of stress-related psychiatric illness development. Epigenetic mechanisms, such as 5-methyl-cytosine (5mC), may contribute to the biological embedding of the environment but are understudied and not well understood. How 5mC relates to CNS endophenotypes of psychiatric illness is also unclear. In 97 female, African American, trauma-exposed participants from the Grady Trauma Project, we examined the associations of childhood trauma burden (CTQ), adult trauma burden, low income, and low education with blood-derived 5mC clusters and variability in brain region measurements in the amygdala, hippocampus, and frontal cortex subregions. To elucidate whether peripheral 5mC indexes central nervous system (CNS) endophenotypes of psychiatric illness, we tested whether 73 brain/blood correlated 5mC clusters, defined by networks of correlated 5mC probes measured on Illumina's HumanMethylation Epic Beadchip, mediated the relationship between ASEs and brain measurements. CTQ was negatively associated with rostral middle frontal gyrus (RMFG) SA (β =-0.231, p = 0.041). Low income and low education were also associated with SA or CT in a number of brain regions. Seven 5mC clusters were associated with CTQ (pmin = 0.002), two with low education (pmin = 0.010), and three with low income (pmin = 0.007). Two clusters fully mediated the relation between CTQ and RMFG SA, accounting for 47 and 35% of variability, respectively. These clusters were enriched for probes falling in DNA regulatory regions, as well as signal transduction and immune signaling gene ontology functions. Methylome-network analyses showed enrichment of macrophage migration (p = 9 × 10-8), T cell receptor complex (p = 6 × 10-6), and chemokine-mediated signaling (p = 7 × 10-4) pathway enrichment in association with CTQ. Our results support prior work highlighting brain region variability associated with ASEs, while informing a peripheral inflammation-based epigenetic mechanism of biological embedding of such exposures. These findings could also serve to potentiate increased investigation of understudied populations at elevated risk for stress-related psychiatric illness development.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R Pfeiffer
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States.,Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Sanne J H van Rooij
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Yara Mekawi
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Negar Fani
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Tanja Jovanovic
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Vasiliki Michopoulos
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Jennifer S Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Monica Uddin
- Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
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14
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Staud R, Boissoneault J, Lai S, Mejia MS, Ramanlal R, Godfrey MM, Stroman PW. Spinal cord neural activity of patients with fibromyalgia and healthy controls during temporal summation of pain: an fMRI study. J Neurophysiol 2021; 126:946-956. [PMID: 34406893 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00276.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The cause for the increased sensitivity of patients with fibromyalgia (FM) to painful stimuli is unclear but sensitization of dorsal horn spinal cord neurons has been suggested. There, critical changes of sensory information occur which depend on the plasticity of second-order neurons and descending pain modulation, including facilitation and inhibition. This study used repetitive stimuli that produce temporal-summation-of-second-pain (TSSP) and central sensitization, relevant mechanisms for patients with chronic pain. We examined spinal cord neural activation during TSSP in patients with FM and healthy controls (HC) and used its functional connectivity with several brainstem nuclei to model the observed blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) time-course with pain ratings. Sixteen HC and 14 FM participants received repetitive heat stimuli to the hand at 0.4 Hz to achieve TSSP during functional imaging with a 3 T-Philips Achieva MRI scanner. Stimuli were adjusted to each individual's pain sensitivity to achieve maximal pain ratings of 50 ± 10 on a numerical pain scale (0-100). Using a 16-channel neurovascular coil, multiple image series were obtained from the cervical spinal cord to the brainstem using single-shot turbo-spin echo sequences. During repetitive, sensitivity-adjusted heat stimuli, pain ratings of all subjects increased as predicted, consistent with TSSP. HC and FM participants had similar temporal patterns of spinal activation: initial BOLD increase followed by deactivation. Structural equation modeling showed that the observed spinal activity during TSSP was associated with more BOLD activity across/within the brainstem in FM subjects than HC, suggesting differences in pain modulation.NEW & NOTEWORTHY "Windup" and its behavioral correlate "temporal-summation-of-second pain" (TSSP) represent spinal cord mechanisms of pain augmentation associated with central sensitization and chronic pain. Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain disorder, where abnormal TSSP has been demonstrated. We used fMRI to study spinal cord and brainstem activation during TSSP. We characterized the time course of spinal cord and brainstem BOLD activity during TSSP which showed abnormal brainstem activity in patients with FM, possibly due to deficient pain modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland Staud
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Jeff Boissoneault
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Song Lai
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Marlin S Mejia
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Riddhi Ramanlal
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | | | - Patrick W Stroman
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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15
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Sanikhani NS, Modarressi MH, Jafari P, Vousooghi N, Shafei S, Akbariqomi M, Heidari R, Lavasani PS, Yazarlou F, Motevaseli E, Ghafouri-Fard S. The Effect of Lactobacillus casei Consumption in Improvement of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: an Animal Study. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 2021; 12:1409-1419. [PMID: 32124236 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-020-09642-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an important neuropsychiatric disorder worldwide. Common treatments of OCD include serotonergic antidepressants, which can cause potentially serious side effects. We assessed the effects of Lactobacillus casei (L. casei) Shirota consumption in an animal model of OCD. OCD-like symptoms were induced in rats by the chronic injection of the D2/D3 dopamine agonist quinpirole hydrochloride. Rats were classified into five groups of 6 rats. Four groups were injected chronically with quinpirole (0.5 mg/kg, twice weekly for 5 weeks). They were fed with L. casei Shirota (109 CF/g, daily for 4 weeks) (group 1), fluoxetine (10 mg/kg, daily for 4 weeks) (group 2), combination of L. casei Shirota and fluoxetine (group 3), and normal saline (positive control group). The last group did not receive dopamine agonist and was only injected with saline (negative control group). Expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf), solute carrier family 6 member 4 (Slc6a4), and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor type 2A (Htr2a) were assessed in orbitofrontal cortex tissues of all rats. Behavioral tests showed improvement of OCD signs in rats treated with L. casei Shirota, fluoxetine, and a combination of drugs. Quantitative PCR analysis showed a remarkable decrease in the expression of Bdnf and an increase in the expression of Htr2a in quinpirole-treated rats. After treatment with L. casei Shirota and fluoxetine, the expression level of Bdnf was increased remarkably, whereas Htr2a expression was decreased. The current study showed the effectiveness of L. casei Shirota in the treatment of OCD in a rat model. The beneficial effects of this probiotic are possibly exerted through the modulation of serotonin-related genes expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nafiseh Sadat Sanikhani
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Parvaneh Jafari
- Microbiology Department, Science faculty, Islamic Azad University, Arak branch, Arak, Iran
| | - Nasim Vousooghi
- Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Research Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shilan Shafei
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, International Campus Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mostafa Akbariqomi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Heidari
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Paria Sadat Lavasani
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Yazarlou
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elahe Motevaseli
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Soudeh Ghafouri-Fard
- Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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16
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Reed MB, Vanicek T, Seiger R, Klöbl M, Spurny B, Handschuh P, Ritter V, Unterholzner J, Godbersen GM, Gryglewski G, Kraus C, Winkler D, Hahn A, Lanzenberger R. Neuroplastic effects of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor in relearning and retrieval. Neuroimage 2021; 236:118039. [PMID: 33852940 PMCID: PMC7610799 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal studies using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and learning paradigms have demonstrated that serotonin is important for flexibility in executive functions and learning. SSRIs might facilitate relearning through neuroplastic processes and thus exert their clinical effects in psychiatric diseases where cognitive functioning is affected. However, translation of these mechanisms to humans is missing. In this randomized placebo-controlled trial, we assessed functional brain activation during learning and memory retrieval in healthy volunteers performing associative learning tasks aiming to translate facilitated relearning by SSRIs. To this extent, seventy-six participants underwent three MRI scanning sessions: (1) at baseline, (2) after three weeks of daily associative learning and subsequent retrieval (face-matching or Chinese character–noun matching) and (3) after three weeks of relearning under escitalopram (10 mg/day) or placebo. Associative learning and retrieval tasks were performed during each functional MRI (fMRI) session. Statistical modeling was done using a repeated-measures ANOVA, to test for content-by-treatment-by-time interaction effects. During the learning task, a significant substance-by-time interaction was found in the right insula showing a greater deactivation in the SSRI cohort after 21 days of relearning compared to the learning phase. In the retrieval task, there was a significant content-by-time interaction in the left angular gyrus (AG) with an increased activation in face-matching compared to Chinese-character matching for both learning and relearning phases. A further substance-by-time interaction was found in task performance after 21 days of relearning, indicating a greater decrease of performance in the placebo group. Our findings that escitalopram modulate insula activation demonstrates successful translation of relearning as a mechanism of SSRIs in human. Furthermore, we show that the left AG is an active component of correct memory retrieval, which coincides with previous literature. We extend the function of this region by demonstrating its activation is not only stimulus dependent but also time constrained. Finally, we were able to show that escitalopram aids in relearning, irrespective of content.
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Affiliation(s)
- M B Reed
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - T Vanicek
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - R Seiger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - M Klöbl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - B Spurny
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - P Handschuh
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - V Ritter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - J Unterholzner
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - G M Godbersen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - G Gryglewski
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - C Kraus
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - D Winkler
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - A Hahn
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - R Lanzenberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
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17
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Pfeiffer JR, Bustamante AC, Kim GS, Armstrong D, Knodt AR, Koenen KC, Hariri AR, Uddin M. Associations between childhood family emotional health, fronto-limbic grey matter volume, and saliva 5mC in young adulthood. Clin Epigenetics 2021; 13:68. [PMID: 33789736 PMCID: PMC8010979 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-021-01056-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Poor family emotional health (FEH) during childhood is prevalent and impactful, and likely confers similar neurodevelopmental risks as other adverse social environments. Pointed FEH study efforts are underdeveloped, and the mechanisms by which poor FEH are biologically embedded are unclear. The current exploratory study examined whether variability in 5-methyl-cytosine (5mC) and fronto-limbic grey matter volume may represent pathways through which FEH may become biologically embedded. Results In 98 university students aged 18–22 years, retrospective self-reported childhood FEH was associated with right hemisphere hippocampus (b = 10.4, p = 0.005), left hemisphere amygdala (b = 5.3, p = 0.009), and right hemisphere amygdala (b = 5.8, p = 0.016) volumes. After pre-processing and filtering to 5mC probes correlated between saliva and brain, analyses showed that childhood FEH was associated with 49 5mC principal components (module eigengenes; MEs) (prange = 3 × 10–6 to 0.047). Saliva-derived 5mC MEs partially mediated the association between FEH and right hippocampal volume (Burlywood ME indirect effect b = − 111, p = 0.014), and fully mediated the FEH and right amygdala volume relationship (Pink4 ME indirect effect b = − 48, p = 0.026). Modules were enriched with probes falling in genes with immune, central nervous system (CNS), cellular development/differentiation, and metabolic functions. Conclusions Findings extend work highlighting neurodevelopmental variability associated with adverse social environment exposure during childhood by specifically implicating poor FEH, while informing a mechanism of biological embedding. FEH-associated epigenetic signatures could function as proxies of altered fronto-limbic grey matter volume associated with poor childhood FEH and inform further investigation into primarily affected tissues such as endocrine, immune, and CNS cell types. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13148-021-01056-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- J R Pfeiffer
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.,Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Angela C Bustamante
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Grace S Kim
- Medical Scholars Program, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Don Armstrong
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Annchen R Knodt
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.,Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Karestan C Koenen
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ahmad R Hariri
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.,Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Monica Uddin
- Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Blvd., Suite 304, Tampa, FL, USA.
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18
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Sanwald S, Widenhorn-Müller K, Schönfeldt-Lecuona C, Montag C, Kiefer M. Factors related to age at depression onset: the role of SLC6A4 methylation, sex, exposure to stressful life events and personality in a sample of inpatients suffering from major depression. BMC Psychiatry 2021; 21:167. [PMID: 33765975 PMCID: PMC7995700 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-021-03166-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND An early onset of depression is associated with higher chronicity and disability, more stressful life events (SLEs), higher negative emotionality as described by the primary emotion SADNESS and more severe depressive symptomatology compared to depression onset later in life. Additionally, methylation of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) is associated with SLEs and depressive symptoms. METHODS We investigated the relation of SLEs, SLC6A4 methylation in peripheral blood, the primary emotions SADNESS and SEEKING (measured by the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales) as well as depressive symptom severity to age at depression onset in a sample of N = 146 inpatients suffering from major depression. RESULTS Depressed women showed higher SADNESS (t (91.05) = - 3.17, p = 0.028, d = - 0.57) and higher SLC6A4 methylation (t (88.79) = - 2.95, p = 0.02, d = - 0.55) compared to men. There were associations between SLEs, primary emotions and depression severity, which partly differed between women and men. The Akaike information criterion (AIC) indicated the selection of a model including sex, SLEs, SEEKING and SADNESS for the prediction of age at depression onset. SLC6A4 methylation was not related to depression severity, age at depression onset or SLEs in the entire group, but positively related to depression severity in women. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, we provide further evidence that age at depression onset is associated with SLEs, personality and depression severity. However, we found no associations between age at onset and SLC6A4 methylation. The joint investigation of variables originating in biology, psychology and psychiatry could make an important contribution to understanding the development of depressive disorders by elucidating potential subtypes of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Sanwald
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy III, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
| | | | | | - Christian Montag
- Institute of Psychology and Education, Department of Molecular Psychology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Markus Kiefer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy III, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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19
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Treatment-Resistant Depression Revisited: A Glimmer of Hope. J Pers Med 2021; 11:jpm11020155. [PMID: 33672126 PMCID: PMC7927134 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11020155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a highly prevalent psychiatric disorder worldwide. It causes individual suffering, loss of productivity, increased health care costs and high suicide risk. Current pharmacologic interventions fail to produce at least partial response to approximately one third of these patients, and remission is obtained in approximately 30% of patients. This is known as Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD). The burden of TRD exponentially increases the longer it persists, with a higher risk of impaired functional and social functioning, vast losses in quality of life and significant risk of somatic morbidity and suicidality. Different approaches have been suggested and utilized, but the results have not been encouraging. In this review article, we present new approaches to identify and correct potential causes of TRD, thereby reducing its prevalence and with it the overall burden of this disease entity. We will address potential contributory factors to TRD, most of which can be investigated in many laboratories as routine tests. We discuss endocrinological aberrations, notably, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation and thyroid and gonadal dysfunction. We address the role of Vitamin D in contributing to depression. Pharmacogenomic testing is being increasingly used to determine Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Cytochrome P450, Serotonin Transporter, COMT, folic acid conversion (MTHFR). As the role of immune system dysregulation is being recognized as potentially a major contributory factor to TRD, the measurement of C-reactive protein (CRP) and select immune biomarkers, where testing is available, can guide combination treatments with anti-inflammatory agents (e.g., selective COX-2 inhibitors) reversing treatment resistance. We focus on established and emerging test procedures, potential biomarkers and non-biologic assessments and interventions to apply personalized medicine to effectively manage treatment resistance in general and TRD specifically.
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20
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Clausing ES, Non AL. Epigenetics as a Mechanism of Developmental Embodiment of Stress, Resilience, and Cardiometabolic Risk Across Generations of Latinx Immigrant Families. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:696827. [PMID: 34354616 PMCID: PMC8329078 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.696827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychosocial stressors can become embodied to alter biology throughout the life course in ways that may have lasting health consequences. Immigrants are particularly vulnerable to high burdens of stress, which have heightened in the current sociopolitical climate. This study is an investigation of how immigration-related stress (IRS) may impact the cardiometabolic risk and epigenetic markers of Latinx immigrant mothers and children in Nashville, TN. We compared stress and resilience factors reported by Latina immigrant mothers and their children (aged 5-13) from two time points spanning the 2016 U.S. presidential election (June 2015-June 2016 baseline, n = 81; March-September 2018 follow-up, n = 39) with cardiometabolic risk markers (BMI, waist circumference, and blood pressure). We also analyzed these factors in relation to DNA methylation in saliva of stress-related candidate genes (SLC6A4 and FKBP5), generated via bisulfite pyrosequencing (complete case n's range from 67-72 baseline and 29-31 follow-up) (n's range from 80 baseline to 36 follow-up). We found various associations with cardiometabolic risk, such as higher social support and greater acculturation were associated with lower BMI in mothers; discrimination and school stress associated with greater waist circumferences in children. Very few exposures associated with FKBP5, but various stressors associated with methylation at many sites in SLC6A4, including immigrant-related stress in both mothers and children, and fear of parent deportation in children. Additionally, in the mothers, total maternal stress, health stress, and subjective social status associated with methylation at multiple sites of SLC6A4. Acculturation associated with methylation in mothers in both genes, though directions of effect varied over time. We also find DNA methylation at SLC6A4 associates with measures of adiposity and blood pressure, suggesting that methylation may be on the pathway linking stress with cardiometabolic risk. More research is needed to determine the role of these epigenetic differences in contributing to embodiment of stress across generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth S Clausing
- Department of Anthropology, University of California San Diego (UCSD), La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Amy L Non
- Department of Anthropology, University of California San Diego (UCSD), La Jolla, CA, United States
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21
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Méndez Leal AS, Silvers JA. Neurobiological Markers of Resilience to Early-Life Adversity During Adolescence. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2020; 6:238-247. [PMID: 33067165 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Early-life adversity (ELA) exposure (e.g., trauma, abuse, neglect, or institutional care) is a precursor to poor physical and mental health outcomes and is implicated in 30% of adult mental illness. In recent decades, ELA research has increasingly focused on characterizing factors that confer resilience to ELA and on identifying opportunities for intervention. In this review, we describe recent behavioral and neurobiological resilience work that suggests that adolescence (a period marked by heightened plasticity, development of key neurobiological circuitry, and sensitivity to the social environment) may be a particularly opportune moment for ELA intervention. We review intrapersonal factors associated with resilience that become increasingly important during adolescence (specifically, reward processing, affective learning, and self-regulation) and describe the contextual factors (family, peers, and broader social environment) that modulate them. In addition, we describe how the onset of puberty interacts with each of these factors, and we explore recent findings that point to possible "pubertal recalibration" of ELA exposure as an opportunity for intervention. We conclude by describing considerations and future directions for resilience research in adolescents, with a focus on understanding developmental trajectories using dimensional and holistic models of resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana S Méndez Leal
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jennifer A Silvers
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
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22
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Gui A, Jones EJH, Wong CCY, Meaburn E, Xia B, Pasco G, Lloyd-Fox S, Charman T, Bolton P, Johnson MH. Leveraging epigenetics to examine differences in developmental trajectories of social attention: A proof-of-principle study of DNA methylation in infants with older siblings with autism. Infant Behav Dev 2020; 60:101409. [PMID: 32623100 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2019.101409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Preliminary evidence suggests that changes in DNA methylation, a widely studied epigenetic mechanism, contribute to the etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, data is primarily derived from post-mortem brain samples or peripheral tissue from adults. Deep-phenotyped longitudinal infant cohorts are essential to understand how epigenetic modifications relate to early developmental trajectories and emergence of ASD symptoms. We present a proof-of-principle study designed to evaluate the potential of prospective epigenetic studies of infant siblings of children with ASD. Illumina genome-wide 450 K DNA methylation data from buccal swabs was generated for 63 male infants at multiple time-points from 8 months to 2 years of age (total N = 107 samples). 11 of those infants received a diagnosis of ASD at 3 years. We conducted a series of analyses to characterize DNA methylation signatures associated with categorical outcome and neurocognitive measures from parent-report questionnaire, eye-tracking and electro-encephalography. Effects observed across the entire genome (epigenome-wide association analyses) suggest that collecting DNA methylation samples within infant-sibling designs allows for the detection of meaningful signals with smaller sample sizes than previously estimated. Mapping networks of co-methylated probes associated with neural correlates of social attention implicated enrichment of pathways involved in brain development. Longitudinal modelling found covariation between phenotypic traits and DNA methylation levels in the proximity of genes previously associated with cognitive development, although larger samples and more complete datasets are needed to obtain generalizable results. In conclusion, assessment of DNA methylation profiles at multiple time-points in infant-sibling designs is a promising avenue to comprehend developmental origins and mechanisms of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Gui
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, UK.
| | - Emily J H Jones
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, UK
| | - Chloe C Y Wong
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Emma Meaburn
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, UK
| | - Baocong Xia
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Greg Pasco
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | | | - Tony Charman
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Patrick Bolton
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
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23
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Ikegame T, Bundo M, Okada N, Murata Y, Koike S, Sugawara H, Saito T, Ikeda M, Owada K, Fukunaga M, Yamashita F, Koshiyama D, Natsubori T, Iwashiro N, Asai T, Yoshikawa A, Nishimura F, Kawamura Y, Ishigooka J, Kakiuchi C, Sasaki T, Abe O, Hashimoto R, Iwata N, Yamasue H, Kato T, Kasai K, Iwamoto K. Promoter Activity-Based Case-Control Association Study on SLC6A4 Highlighting Hypermethylation and Altered Amygdala Volume in Male Patients With Schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 2020; 46:1577-1586. [PMID: 32556264 PMCID: PMC7846196 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbaa075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Associations between altered DNA methylation of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT)-encoding gene SLC6A4 and early life adversity, mood and anxiety disorders, and amygdala reactivity have been reported. However, few studies have examined epigenetic alterations of SLC6A4 in schizophrenia (SZ). We examined CpG sites of SLC6A4, whose DNA methylation levels have been reported to be altered in bipolar disorder, using 3 independent cohorts of patients with SZ and age-matched controls. We found significant hypermethylation of a CpG site in SLC6A4 in male patients with SZ in all 3 cohorts. We showed that chronic administration of risperidone did not affect the DNA methylation status at this CpG site using common marmosets, and that in vitro DNA methylation at this CpG site diminished the promoter activity of SLC6A4. We then genotyped the 5-HTT-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and investigated the relationship among 5-HTTLPR, DNA methylation, and amygdala volume using brain imaging data. We found that patients harboring low-activity 5-HTTLPR alleles showed hypermethylation and they showed a negative correlation between DNA methylation levels and left amygdala volumes. These results suggest that hypermethylation of the CpG site in SLC6A4 is involved in the pathophysiology of SZ, especially in male patients harboring low-activity 5-HTTLPR alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tempei Ikegame
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Miki Bundo
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan,PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naohiro Okada
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan,International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yui Murata
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Koike
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan,UTokyo Institute for Diversity and Adaptation of Human Mind (UTIDAHM), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroko Sugawara
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Takeo Saito
- Department of Psychiatry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan
| | - Masashi Ikeda
- Department of Psychiatry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan
| | - Keiho Owada
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaki Fukunaga
- Division of Cerebral Integration, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Aichi, Japan
| | - Fumio Yamashita
- Division of Ultrahigh Field MRI, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan
| | - Daisuke Koshiyama
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tatsunobu Natsubori
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Norichika Iwashiro
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tatsuro Asai
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akane Yoshikawa
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan,Schizophrenia Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Fumichika Nishimura
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | - Chihiro Kakiuchi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tsukasa Sasaki
- Laboratory of Health Education, Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Osamu Abe
- Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryota Hashimoto
- Department of Pathology of Mental Diseases, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan,Department of Psychiatry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Nakao Iwata
- Department of Psychiatry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan
| | - Hidenori Yamasue
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan,Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Tadafumi Kato
- Laboratory for Molecular Dynamics of Mental Disorders, RIKEN CBS, Saitama, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Kasai
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuya Iwamoto
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan,To whom correspondence should be addressed; Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan; tel: +81-96-373-5062, fax: +81-96-373-5062, e-mail:
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24
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Chiarella J, Schumann L, Pomares FB, Frodl T, Tozzi L, Nemoda Z, Yu P, Szyf M, Khalid-Khan S, Booij L. DNA methylation differences in stress-related genes, functional connectivity and gray matter volume in depressed and healthy adolescents. J Affect Disord 2020; 271:160-168. [PMID: 32479312 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.03.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies in adult depressed patients have indicated that altered DNA methylation patterns at genes related to serotonin and HPA axis functioning (e.g., SLC6A4, FKBP5) are associated with changes in frontolimbic functional connectivity and structure. Here, we examined whether these associations can be generalized to adolescents. METHODS 25 adolescents with depression (Mean age = 15.72 ± 0.94 SD; 20 girls) and 20 healthy controls (Mean age = 16.05 ± 1.5 SD; 16 girls) underwent a functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging protocol, which included a resting-state assessment and measures of brain morphometry. DNA was obtained from saliva. Levels of SLC6A4 and FKBP5 methylation were determined using pyrosequencing. RESULTS SLC6A4 methylation was linked to amygdala-frontal operculum resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC), regardless of diagnosis, and was differentially associated with inferior orbitofrontal gyrus (IFOG) gray matter (GM) volume in adolescents with depression and controls. Replicating and extending previous findings in adults, FKBP5 methylation was associated with IFOG GM volume in depressed and healthy adolescents, as well as orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)-rostral prefrontal cortex (RPFC) connectivity in healthy adolescents only. LIMITATIONS Effects of medication use or genotype cannot be ruled out. Further, the relatively small sample size and predominately female sample may limit generalizability. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that previously observed associations between SLC6A4 and FKBP5 methylation and frontolimbic processes in adult depressed patients can be in part generalized to adolescent patients. Further, findings suggest that measuring peripheral methylation at these genes deserves further attention as potential markers of typical and atypical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Chiarella
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada; CHU Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
| | | | | | - Thomas Frodl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Leonardo Tozzi
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Zsofia Nemoda
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Patricia Yu
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Moshe Szyf
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Sarosh Khalid-Khan
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Child Psychiatry, Hotel Dieu Hospital, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
| | - Linda Booij
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada; CHU Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada.
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25
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Wheater ENW, Stoye DQ, Cox SR, Wardlaw JM, Drake AJ, Bastin ME, Boardman JP. DNA methylation and brain structure and function across the life course: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 113:133-156. [PMID: 32151655 PMCID: PMC7237884 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
MRI has enhanced our capacity to understand variations in brain structure and function conferred by the genome. We identified 60 studies that report associations between DNA methylation (DNAm) and human brain structure/function. Forty-three studies measured candidate loci DNAm; seventeen measured epigenome-wide DNAm. MRI features included region-of-interest and whole-brain structural, diffusion and functional imaging features. The studies report DNAm-MRI associations for: neurodevelopment and neurodevelopmental disorders; major depression and suicidality; alcohol use disorder; schizophrenia and psychosis; ageing, stroke, ataxia and neurodegeneration; post-traumatic stress disorder; and socio-emotional processing. Consistency between MRI features and differential DNAm is modest. Sources of bias: variable inclusion of comparator groups; different surrogate tissues used; variation in DNAm measurement methods; lack of control for genotype and cell-type composition; and variations in image processing. Knowledge of MRI features associated with differential DNAm may improve understanding of the role of DNAm in brain health and disease, but caution is required because conventions for linking DNAm and MRI data are not established, and clinical and methodological heterogeneity in existing literature is substantial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily N W Wheater
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - David Q Stoye
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Simon R Cox
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Joanna M Wardlaw
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Amanda J Drake
- University/British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Mark E Bastin
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - James P Boardman
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
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26
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Tang YN, Wei L. [Functional movement disorders in children and adolescents]. ZHONGGUO DANG DAI ER KE ZA ZHI = CHINESE JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY PEDIATRICS 2020; 22:523-527. [PMID: 32434652 PMCID: PMC7389391 DOI: 10.7499/j.issn.1008-8830.2002054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Functional movement disorders (FMDs), also known as psychogenic movement disorders (PMDs), should be considered a biological-psychological-social disease like other functional neurological diseases. It is not merely a psychological or mental disease. The etiology of FMDs includes neurobiological changes, such as abnormal patterns of cerebral activation and abnormal connectivity between the limbic system and the motor networks. Inheritance and epigenetic machinery, such as DNA methylation and changes in grey and white matter morphology, may influence the development of FMDs. FMDs are not rare in the outpatient service of pediatrics and are one of the most challenging movement disorders due to complex and diversified clinical manifestations. Due to a lack of clinical knowledge and unified diagnostic criteria, it is difficult for pediatricians to make a correct diagnosis of FMDs, which may be easily confused with other diseases. Pediatricians should pay more attention to children with FMDs and establish a multidisciplinary team with psychiatrists, specialists in developmental behavior, and physiotherapists, so as to provide active management and treatment for such children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Nan Tang
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.
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27
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Boehm I, Walton E, Alexander N, Batury VL, Seidel M, Geisler D, King JA, Weidner K, Roessner V, Ehrlich S. Peripheral serotonin transporter DNA methylation is linked to increased salience network connectivity in females with anorexia nervosa. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2020; 45:206-213. [PMID: 31823595 PMCID: PMC7828979 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.190016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epigenetic variation in the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) has been shown to modulate the functioning of brain circuitry associated with the salience network and may heighten the risk for mental illness. This study is, to our knowledge, the first to test this epigenome–brain–behaviour pathway in patients with anorexia nervosa. METHODS We obtained resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) data and blood samples from 55 acutely underweight female patients with anorexia nervosa and 55 age-matched female healthy controls. We decomposed imaging data using independent component analysis. We used bisulfite pyrosequencing to analyze blood DNA methylation within the promoter region of SLC6A4. We then explored salience network rsFC patterns in the group × methylation interaction. RESULTS We identified a positive relationship between SLC6A4 methylation levels and rsFC between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the salience network in patients with anorexia nervosa compared to healthy controls. Increased rsFC in the salience network mediated the link between SLC6A4 methylation and eating disorder symptoms in patients with anorexia nervosa. We confirmed findings of rsFC alterations for CpG-specific methylation at a locus with evidence of methylation correspondence between brain and blood tissue. LIMITATIONS This study was cross-sectional in nature, the sample size was modest for the method and methylation levels were measured peripherally, so findings cannot be fully generalized to brain tissue. CONCLUSION This study sheds light on the neurobiological process of how epigenetic variation in the SLC6A4 gene may relate to rsFC in the salience network that is linked to psychopathology in anorexia nervosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilka Boehm
- From the Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Boehm, Walton, Batury, Seidel, Geisler, King, Ehrlich); the Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK (Walton); the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany (Alexander); the Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Weidner); the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Roessner); and the Eating Disorders Research and Treatment Center at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Ehrlich)
| | - Esther Walton
- From the Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Boehm, Walton, Batury, Seidel, Geisler, King, Ehrlich); the Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK (Walton); the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany (Alexander); the Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Weidner); the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Roessner); and the Eating Disorders Research and Treatment Center at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Ehrlich)
| | - Nina Alexander
- From the Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Boehm, Walton, Batury, Seidel, Geisler, King, Ehrlich); the Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK (Walton); the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany (Alexander); the Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Weidner); the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Roessner); and the Eating Disorders Research and Treatment Center at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Ehrlich)
| | - Victoria-Luise Batury
- From the Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Boehm, Walton, Batury, Seidel, Geisler, King, Ehrlich); the Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK (Walton); the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany (Alexander); the Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Weidner); the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Roessner); and the Eating Disorders Research and Treatment Center at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Ehrlich)
| | - Maria Seidel
- From the Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Boehm, Walton, Batury, Seidel, Geisler, King, Ehrlich); the Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK (Walton); the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany (Alexander); the Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Weidner); the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Roessner); and the Eating Disorders Research and Treatment Center at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Ehrlich)
| | - Daniel Geisler
- From the Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Boehm, Walton, Batury, Seidel, Geisler, King, Ehrlich); the Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK (Walton); the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany (Alexander); the Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Weidner); the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Roessner); and the Eating Disorders Research and Treatment Center at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Ehrlich)
| | - Joseph A. King
- From the Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Boehm, Walton, Batury, Seidel, Geisler, King, Ehrlich); the Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK (Walton); the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany (Alexander); the Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Weidner); the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Roessner); and the Eating Disorders Research and Treatment Center at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Ehrlich)
| | - Kerstin Weidner
- From the Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Boehm, Walton, Batury, Seidel, Geisler, King, Ehrlich); the Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK (Walton); the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany (Alexander); the Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Weidner); the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Roessner); and the Eating Disorders Research and Treatment Center at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Ehrlich)
| | - Veit Roessner
- From the Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Boehm, Walton, Batury, Seidel, Geisler, King, Ehrlich); the Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK (Walton); the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany (Alexander); the Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Weidner); the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Roessner); and the Eating Disorders Research and Treatment Center at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Ehrlich)
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- From the Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Boehm, Walton, Batury, Seidel, Geisler, King, Ehrlich); the Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK (Walton); the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany (Alexander); the Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Weidner); the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Roessner); and the Eating Disorders Research and Treatment Center at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Ehrlich)
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Schiele MA, Gottschalk MG, Domschke K. The applied implications of epigenetics in anxiety, affective and stress-related disorders - A review and synthesis on psychosocial stress, psychotherapy and prevention. Clin Psychol Rev 2020; 77:101830. [PMID: 32163803 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mental disorders are highly complex and multifactorial in origin, comprising an elaborate interplay of genetic and environmental factors. Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA modifications (e.g. CpG methylation), histone modifications (e.g. acetylation) and microRNAs function as a translator between genes and the environment. Indeed, environmental influences such as exposure to stress shape epigenetic patterns, and lifetime experiences continue to alter the function of the genome throughout the lifespan. Here, we summarize the recently burgeoning body of research regarding the involvement of aberrant epigenetic signatures in mediating an increased vulnerability to a wide range of mental disorders. We review the current knowledge of epigenetic changes to constitute useful markers predicting the clinical response to psychotherapeutic interventions, and of psychotherapy to alter - and potentially reverse - epigenetic risk patterns. Given first evidence pointing to a transgenerational transmission of epigenetic information, epigenetic alterations arising from successful psychotherapy might be transferred to future generations and thus contribute to the prevention of mental disorders. Findings are integrated into a multi-level framework highlighting challenges pertaining to the mechanisms of action and clinical implications of epigenetic research. Promising future directions regarding the prediction, prevention, and personalized treatment of mental disorders in line with a 'precision medicine' approach are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam A Schiele
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 5, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Michael G Gottschalk
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 5, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Domschke
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 5, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany; Center for Basics in NeuroModulation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Breisacher Straße 64, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany.
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29
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Li Z, He B, Xu J, Dai N, Ping L, Zhou C, Shen Z, Xu X, Cheng Y. Roles of 5,10-Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase C677T Polymorphisms in First-Episode, Drug-Naive Adult Patients With Depression. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:531959. [PMID: 33364984 PMCID: PMC7751613 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.531959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
5,10-Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene C677T polymorphism is considered as a predisposition and promising genetic candidate to major depressive disorder (MDD), as it is associated with impaired one-carbon cycles, which may be involved in the pathogenesis of depression. Cortical thickness (CT) and subcortical structure volumes have been extensively studied in MDD and have been proposed as one of the phenotypes for MDD. We intend to discuss the association between CT, subcortical structure volume, and MTHFR C677T polymorphism in first-episode, treatment-naive patients with MDD. In this study, 127 adult patients with MDD and 101 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HCs) were included. All subjects underwent T1-weighted MRI, MTHFR C677T genotyping, and FreeSurfer software-based morphological analysis. MDD patients have been detected to have significantly decreased volumes in the left nucleus accumbens (P < 0.001). The MTHFR 677 T allele carriers manifested with thinner CT in the left caudal anterior cingulate cortex (cACC, P = 0.009) compared with CC genotype. There were significant genotype-by-diagnosis interactions for the CT in the left cACC (P = 0.009), isthmus cingulate (P = 0.002), medial orbitofrontal lobe (P = 0.012), posterior cingulate (P = 0.030), and the right lateral orbitofrontal lobe (P = 0.012). We also found a trend in the interaction effect on the volume of the left putamen (P = 0.050). Our results revealed that MTHFR C677T polymorphism may be involved in the dysfunction of limbic-cortical-striatal-pallidal-thalamic (LCSPT) circuits mediating emotion processing, which may contribute to pathogenesis of MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoqing Li
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Bo He
- Department of Medical Imaging, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Jian Xu
- Department of Internal Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Nan Dai
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | | | - Cong Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Zonglin Shen
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Xiufeng Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Yuqi Cheng
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
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30
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Morgan HE, Ledbetter CR, Ferrier C, Zweig RM, Disbrow EA. Altered Cortico-Limbic Network Connectivity in Parkinsonian Depression: The Effect of Antidepressants. JOURNAL OF PARKINSONS DISEASE 2019; 8:429-440. [PMID: 30124452 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-171204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression is a common comorbidity of Parkinson's disease (PD); however, the impact of antidepressant status on cortical function in parkinsonian depression is not fully understood. While studies of resting state functional MRI in major depression have shown that antidepressant treatment affects cortical connectivity, data on connectivity and antidepressant status in PD is sparse. OBJECTIVE We tested the hypothesis that cortico-limbic network (CLN) resting state connectivity is abnormal in antidepressant-treated parkinsonian depression. METHODS Thirteen antidepressant-treated depressed PD and 47 non-depressed PD participants from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) database were included. Data was collected using 3T Siemens TIM Trio MR scanners and analyzed using SPM and CONN functional connectivity toolbox. Volumetric analysis was also performed using BrainSuite. RESULTS We found decreased connectivity in the antidepressant-treated depressed PD group when compared to non-depressed PD between the left frontal operculum and bilateral insula, and also reduced connectivity between right orbitofrontal cortex and left temporal fusiform structures. Increased depression scores were associated with decreased insular-frontal opercular connectivity. No ROI volumetric differences were found between groups. CONCLUSION Given the relationship between depression scores and cortico-limbic connectivity in PD, the abnormal insular-frontal opercular hypoconnectivity in this cohort may be associated with persistent depressive symptoms or antidepressant effects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Christopher Ferrier
- Caddo Parish Magnet High School, Science and Medicine Academic Research Training Program, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Richard M Zweig
- Department of Neurology, LSUHSC Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Disbrow
- Department of Neurology, LSUHSC Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Neuroscience, LSUHSC Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, USA
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31
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Muench C, Luo A, Charlet K, Lee J, Rosoff DB, Sun H, Fede SJ, Jung J, Momenan R, Lohoff FW. Lack of Association Between Serotonin Transporter Gene (SLC6A4) Promoter Methylation and Amygdala Response During Negative Emotion Processing in Individuals With Alcohol Dependence. Alcohol Alcohol 2019; 54:209-215. [PMID: 31008507 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agz032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Revised: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Differences in DNA methylation of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) have been shown to alter SLC6A4 expression and predict brain functions in healthy individuals. This study investigated the association between SLC6A4 promoter methylation and threat-related amygdala activation in individuals with alcohol dependence (AD). METHODS Methylation of the SLC6A4 promoter region was assessed using peripheral blood DNA from 45 individuals with AD and 45 healthy controls (HCs). All participants completed an emotional face matching task in a 3-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. RESULTS Results did not reveal any association between SLC6A4 promoter methylation variation and threat-related amygdala activation in HCs or individuals with AD. Furthermore, methylation in the promoter region of SLC6A4 did not significantly differ between the groups. CONCLUSIONS Our results do not replicate a previous finding that increased methylation in the promoter region of SLC6A4 is associated with threat-related amygdala activation in healthy individuals and further show that there is no such association in individuals with AD. Given that the number of imaging epigenetics studies on SLC6A4 is very limited to date, these inconsistent results indicate that future research is needed to clarify its association with amygdala reactivity in both healthy and clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Muench
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive (10CRC), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Audrey Luo
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive (10CRC), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Katrin Charlet
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive (10CRC), Bethesda, MD, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jisoo Lee
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive (10CRC), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Daniel B Rosoff
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive (10CRC), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Hui Sun
- Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive (10CRC), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Samantha J Fede
- Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive (10CRC), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jeesun Jung
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive (10CRC), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Reza Momenan
- Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive (10CRC), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Falk W Lohoff
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive (10CRC), Bethesda, MD, USA
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Krol KM, Puglia MH, Morris JP, Connelly JJ, Grossmann T. Epigenetic modification of the oxytocin receptor gene is associated with emotion processing in the infant brain. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2019; 37:100648. [PMID: 31125951 PMCID: PMC6969294 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2019.100648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
First developmental neuroimaging epigenetics study with human infants. Oxytocin receptor gene methylation (OXTRm) assessed in a large sample of infants. OXTRm predicts inferior frontal brain responses to emotional faces using fNIRS. Higher OXTRm linked to enhanced brain responses to angry and fearful faces. OXTRm contributes to variability in social brain function early in ontogeny.
The neural capacity to discriminate between emotions emerges early in development, though little is known about specific factors that contribute to variability in this vital skill during infancy. In adults, DNA methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTRm) is an epigenetic modification that is variable, predictive of gene expression, and has been linked to autism spectrum disorder and the neural response to social cues. It is unknown whether OXTRm is variable in infants, and whether it is predictive of early social function. Implementing a developmental neuroimaging epigenetics approach in a large sample of infants (N = 98), we examined whether OXTRm is associated with neural responses to emotional expressions. OXTRm was assessed at 5 months of age. At 7 months of age, infants viewed happy, angry, and fearful faces while functional near-infrared spectroscopy was recorded. We observed that OXTRm shows considerable variability among infants. Critically, infants with higher OXTRm show enhanced responses to anger and fear and attenuated responses to happiness in right inferior frontal cortex, a region implicated in emotion processing through action-perception coupling. Findings support models emphasizing oxytocin’s role in modulating neural response to emotion and identify OXTRm as an epigenetic mark contributing to early brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M Krol
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 480 McCormick Rd. Charlottesville VA 22903, USA; Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstr. 1a, 04275 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Meghan H Puglia
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 480 McCormick Rd. Charlottesville VA 22903, USA
| | - James P Morris
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 480 McCormick Rd. Charlottesville VA 22903, USA
| | - Jessica J Connelly
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 480 McCormick Rd. Charlottesville VA 22903, USA
| | - Tobias Grossmann
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 480 McCormick Rd. Charlottesville VA 22903, USA; Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstr. 1a, 04275 Leipzig, Germany
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Brown A, Fiori LM, Turecki G. Bridging Basic and Clinical Research in Early Life Adversity, DNA Methylation, and Major Depressive Disorder. Front Genet 2019; 10:229. [PMID: 30984237 PMCID: PMC6448008 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA)- including childhood physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, as well as childhood neglect- is an important predictive factor for negative psychopathology, including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). ELA can epigenetically regulate key emotional and behavioral systems in ways that can stably persist into adulthood and contribute to the development of MDD and other psychopathology. DNA methylation has been one of the most investigated forms of epigenetic regulation in ELA to MDD pathway. From these studies, genes and sites associated with ELA/MDD have been identified and should be further investigated in order to identify potential avenues for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Brown
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Laura M Fiori
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Baizabal-Carvallo JF, Hallett M, Jankovic J. Pathogenesis and pathophysiology of functional (psychogenic) movement disorders. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 127:32-44. [PMID: 30798005 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional movement disorders (FMDs), known over time as "hysteria", "dissociative", "conversion", "somatoform", "non-organic" and "psychogenic" disorders, are characterized by having a voluntary quality, being modifiable by attention and distraction but perceived by the patient as involuntary. Although a high prevalence of depression and anxiety is observed in these patients, a definitive role of psychiatric disorders in FMDs has not been proven, and many patients do not endorse such manifestations. Stressful events, social influences and minor trauma may precede the onset of FMDs, but their pathogenic mechanisms are unclear. Patients with FMDs have several abnormalities in their neurobiology including strengthened connectivity between the limbic and motor networks. Additionally, there is altered top-down regulation of motor activities and increased activation of areas implicated in self-awareness, self-monitoring, and active motor inhibition such as the cingulate and insular cortex. Decreased activation of the supplementary motor area (SMA) and pre-SMA, implicated in motor control and preparation, is another finding. The sense of agency defined as the feeling of controlling external events through one's own action also seems to be impaired in individuals with FMDs. Correlating with this is a loss of intentional binding, a subjective time compression between intentional action and its sensory consequences. Organic and functional dystonia may be difficult to differentiate since they share diverse neurophysiological features including decreased cortical inhibition, and similar local field potentials in the globus pallidus and thalamus; although increased cortical plasticity is observed only in patients with organic dystonia. Advances in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of FMDs may be helpful to understand the nature of these disorders and plan further treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Fidel Baizabal-Carvallo
- Parkinson's Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic, Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; University of Guanajuato, Mexico.
| | - Mark Hallett
- Human Motor Control Section, NINDS, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Joseph Jankovic
- Parkinson's Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic, Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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Lam D, Ancelin ML, Ritchie K, Freak-Poli R, Saffery R, Ryan J. Genotype-dependent associations between serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) DNA methylation and late-life depression. BMC Psychiatry 2018; 18:282. [PMID: 30180828 PMCID: PMC6122720 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-018-1850-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disrupted serotonergic signaling is often a feature of depression and the role of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4), responsible for serotonin re-uptake, has received much attention in this regard. Most studies have focused on the polymorphic 5-HTTLPR upstream repeat, or DNA methylation at the promoter CpG island. Few studies have explored the influence of genetic variation across the gene on DNA methylation, and their combined association with depression risk. The aim of this study was to determine whether genetic variation in the SLC6A4 gene influences promoter DNA methylation, and whether these are associated with depression status. METHOD The ESPRIT study involves a community-based population of older individuals (> 65 years of age). Major depressive disorder (MDD) was diagnosed according to DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) criteria, and severe depressive symptoms assessed by the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale. Sequenom MassARRAY was used to measure SLC6A4 methylation status (n = 302). RESULTS Nominally significant associations were observed between SLC6A4 genetic variants (5-HTTLPR, rs140700, rs4251417, rs6354, rs25528, rs25531) and DNA methylation at several CpG sites. In multivariate regression, DNA methylation was associated with depression status, but only in the presence of specific genotypes. In individuals homozygous for the short 5-HTTLPR and 5-HTTLPR/r25531 alleles, lower methylation at two CpGs was associated with depression (β = - 0.44 to β = - 0.31; p = 0.001 to p = 0.038). CONCLUSION We present evidence for genotype-dependent associations between SLC6A4 methylation and depression. Genetic variants may also play a role in influencing promoter methylation levels and its association with depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilys Lam
- 0000 0004 0614 0346grid.416107.5Cancer & Disease Epigenetics, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, VIC Australia
| | - Marie-Laure Ancelin
- 0000 0001 2097 0141grid.121334.6INSERM, Univ Montpellier, Neuropsychiatry: Epidemiological and Clinical Research, Montpellier, France
| | - Karen Ritchie
- 0000 0001 2097 0141grid.121334.6INSERM, Univ Montpellier, Neuropsychiatry: Epidemiological and Clinical Research, Montpellier, France ,0000 0004 1936 7988grid.4305.2Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rosanne Freak-Poli
- 0000 0004 1936 7857grid.1002.3Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Level 5, The Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, 3004 Australia
| | - Richard Saffery
- 0000 0004 0614 0346grid.416107.5Cancer & Disease Epigenetics, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, VIC Australia ,0000 0001 2179 088Xgrid.1008.9Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC Australia
| | - Joanne Ryan
- Cancer & Disease Epigenetics, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia. .,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia. .,INSERM, Univ Montpellier, Neuropsychiatry: Epidemiological and Clinical Research, Montpellier, France. .,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Level 5, The Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, 3004, Australia.
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Barker ED, Walton E, Cecil CA, Rowe R, Jaffee SR, Maughan B, O'Connor TG, Stringaris A, Meehan AJ, McArdle W, Relton CL, Gaunt TR. A Methylome-Wide Association Study of Trajectories of Oppositional Defiant Behaviors and Biological Overlap With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Child Dev 2018; 89:1839-1855. [PMID: 28929496 PMCID: PMC6207925 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In 671 mother-child (49% male) pairs from an epidemiological birth cohort, we investigated (a) prospective associations between DNA methylation (at birth) and trajectories (ages 7-13) of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and the ODD subdimensions of irritable and headstrong; (b) common biological pathways, indexed by DNA methylation, between ODD trajectories and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); (c) genetic influence on DNA methylation; and (d) prenatal risk exposure associations. Methylome-wide significant associations were identified for the ODD and headstrong, but not for irritable. Overlap analysis indicated biological correlates between ODD, headstrong, and ADHD. DNA methylation in ODD and headstrong was (to a degree) genetically influenced. DNA methylation associated with prenatal risk exposures of maternal anxiety (headstrong) and cigarette smoking (ODD and headstrong).
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37
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Ismaylova E, Lévesque ML, Pomares FB, Szyf M, Nemoda Z, Fahim C, Vitaro F, Brendgen M, Dionne G, Boivin M, Tremblay RE, Booij L. Serotonin transporter promoter methylation in peripheral cells and neural responses to negative stimuli: A study of adolescent monozygotic twins. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:147. [PMID: 30089832 PMCID: PMC6082838 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0195-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Revised: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies have examined associations between peripheral DNA methylation patterns of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) promoter and symptoms of depression and anxiety. The SLC6A4 promoter methylation has also been associated with frontal-limbic brain responses to negative stimuli. However, it is unclear how much of this association is confounded by DNA sequence variations. We utilized a monozygotic-twin within-pair discordance design, to test whether DNA methylation at specific CpG sites in the SLC6A4 promoter of peripheral cells is associated with greater frontal-limbic brain responses to negative stimuli (sadness and fear), independently of DNA sequence effects. In total 48 pairs of healthy 15-year-old monozygotic twins from the Quebec Newborn Twin Study, followed regularly since birth, underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while conducting an emotion-processing task. The SLC6A4 promoter methylation level was assessed in saliva samples using pyrosequencing. Relative to the co-twins with lower SLC6A4 promoter methylation levels, twins with higher peripheral SLC6A4 methylation levels showed greater orbitofrontal cortical (OFC) activity and left amygdala-anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and left amygdala-right OFC connectivity in response to sadness as well as greater ACC-left amygdala and ACC-left insula connectivity in response to fearful stimuli. By utilising a monozygotic-twin design, we provided evidence that associations between peripheral SLC6A4 promoter methylation and frontal-limbic brain responses to negative stimuli are, in part, independent of DNA sequence variations. Although causality cannot be determined here, SLC6A4 promoter methylation may be one of the mechanisms underlying how environmental factors influence the serotonin system, potentially affecting emotional processing through frontal-limbic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elmira Ismaylova
- 0000 0001 2173 6322grid.411418.9CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada ,0000 0001 2292 3357grid.14848.31Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Melissa L. Lévesque
- 0000 0001 2173 6322grid.411418.9CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada ,0000 0001 2292 3357grid.14848.31Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Florence B. Pomares
- 0000 0001 2173 6322grid.411418.9CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada ,0000 0004 1936 8630grid.410319.eDepartment of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Moshe Szyf
- 0000 0004 1936 8649grid.14709.3bDepartment of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Zsofia Nemoda
- 0000 0004 1936 8649grid.14709.3bDepartment of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Cherine Fahim
- 0000 0001 2173 6322grid.411418.9CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada
| | - Frank Vitaro
- 0000 0001 2173 6322grid.411418.9CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada ,0000 0001 2292 3357grid.14848.31School of Psychoeducation, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Mara Brendgen
- 0000 0001 2173 6322grid.411418.9CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada ,0000 0001 2181 0211grid.38678.32Department of Psychology, University of Quebec à Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Ginette Dionne
- 0000 0004 1936 8390grid.23856.3aSchool of Psychology, University of Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Michel Boivin
- 0000 0004 1936 8390grid.23856.3aSchool of Psychology, University of Laval, Quebec, Canada ,0000 0001 1088 3909grid.77602.34Institute of Genetic, Neurobiological, and Social Foundations of Child Development, Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russian Federation
| | - Richard E. Tremblay
- 0000 0001 2173 6322grid.411418.9CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada ,0000 0001 2292 3357grid.14848.31Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada ,0000 0001 0768 2743grid.7886.1School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Linda Booij
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada. .,Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada. .,Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada.
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38
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Schneider I, Kugel H, Redlich R, Grotegerd D, Bürger C, Bürkner PC, Opel N, Dohm K, Zaremba D, Meinert S, Schröder N, Straßburg AM, Schwarte K, Schettler C, Ambrée O, Rust S, Domschke K, Arolt V, Heindel W, Baune BT, Zhang W, Dannlowski U, Hohoff C. Association of Serotonin Transporter Gene AluJb Methylation with Major Depression, Amygdala Responsiveness, 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 Polymorphism, and Stress. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:1308-1316. [PMID: 29114103 PMCID: PMC5916353 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Revised: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
DNA methylation profiles of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) have been shown to alter SLC6A4 expression, drive antidepressant treatment response and modify brain functions. This study investigated whether methylation of an AluJb element in the SLC6A4 promotor was associated with major depressive disorder (MDD), amygdala reactivity to emotional faces, 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 polymorphism, and recent stress. MDD patients (n=122) and healthy controls (HC, n=176) underwent fMRI during an emotional face-matching task. Individual SLC6A4 AluJb methylation profiles were ascertained and associated with MDD, amygdala reactivity, 5-HTTLPR/rs25531, and stress. SLC6A4 AluJb methylation was significantly lower in MDD compared to HC and in stressed compared to less stressed participants. Lower AluJb methylation was particularly found in 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 risk allele carriers under stress and correlated with less depressive episodes. fMRI analysis revealed a significant interaction of AluJb methylation and diagnosis in the amygdala, with MDD patients showing lower AluJb methylation associated with decreased amygdala reactivity. While no joint effect of AluJb methylation and 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 existed, risk allele carriers showed significantly increased bilateral amygdala activation. These findings suggest a role of SLC6A4 AluJb methylation in MDD, amygdala reactivity, and stress reaction, partly interwoven with 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 effects. Patients with low methylation in conjunction with a shorter MDD history and decreased amygdala reactivity might feature a more stress-adaptive epigenetic process, maybe via theoretically possible endogenous antidepressant-like effects. In contrast, patients with higher methylation might possibly suffer from impaired epigenetic adaption to chronic stress. Further, the 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 association with amygdala activation was confirmed in our large sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilona Schneider
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany,Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Harald Kugel
- Department of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Ronny Redlich
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Christian Bürger
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Nils Opel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Katharina Dohm
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Dario Zaremba
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Susanne Meinert
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Nina Schröder
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Kathrin Schwarte
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Oliver Ambrée
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany,Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Stephan Rust
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Katharina Domschke
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Volker Arolt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany,Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Walter Heindel
- Department of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Bernhard T Baune
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Weiqi Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany,Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Udo Dannlowski
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany,Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Christa Hohoff
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany,Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Building A9, Münster 48149 Germany, Tel: +49-251-8357122, Fax: +49-251-8357123, E-mail:
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Abstract
Purpose of Review Traumatic stress has profound impacts on many domains of life, yet the mechanisms that confer risk for or resilience to the development of traumatic stress-related psychopathologies are still very much under investigation. The current review highlights recent developments in the field of traumatic stress epigenetics in humans. Recent Findings Recent results reveal traumatic stress-related epigenetic dysregulation in neural, endocrine, and immune system genes and associated networks. Emerging work combining imaging with epigenetic measures holds promise for addressing the correspondence between peripheral and central effects of traumatic stress. A growing literature is also documenting the transgenerational effects of prenatal stress exposures in humans. Summary Moving forward, increasing focus on epigenetic marks of traumatic stress in CNS tissue will create a clearer picture of the relevance of peripheral measures; PTSD brain banks will help in this regard. Similarly, leveraging multigenerational birth cohort data will do much to clarify the extent of transgenerational epigenetic effects of traumatic stress. Greater efforts should be made towards developing prospective studies with longitudinal design.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R Pfeiffer
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.,Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Leon Mutesa
- Center for Human Genetics, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Monica Uddin
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.,Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Urbana, IL, USA.,Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
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40
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Lin D, Chen J, Ehrlich S, Bustillo JR, Perrone-Bizzozero N, Walton E, Clark VP, Wang YP, Sui J, Du Y, Ho BC, Schulz CS, Calhoun VD, Liu J. Cross-Tissue Exploration of Genetic and Epigenetic Effects on Brain Gray Matter in Schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 2018; 44:443-452. [PMID: 28521044 PMCID: PMC5814943 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbx068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Closely linking genetics and environment factors, epigenetics has been of increasing interest in psychiatric disease studies. In this work, we integrated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), DNA methylation of blood and saliva, and brain gray matter (GM) measures to explore the role of genetic and epigenetic variation to the brain structure changes in schizophrenia (SZ). By focusing on the reported SZ genetic risk regions, we applied a multi-stage multivariate analysis to a discovery dataset (92 SZ patients and 110 controls, blood) and an independent replication dataset (93 SZ patients and 99 controls, saliva). Two pairs of SNP-methylation components were significantly correlated (r = .48 and .35) in blood DNA, and replicated (r = .46 and .29) in saliva DNA, reflecting cross-tissue SNP cis-effects. In the discovery data, both SNP-related methylation components were also associated with one GM component primarily located in cerebellum, caudate, and thalamus. Additionally, another methylation component in NOSIP gene with significant SZ patient differences (P = .009), was associated with 8 GM components (7 with patient differences) including superior, middle, and inferior frontal gyri, superior, middle, and inferior temporal gyri, cerebellum, insula, cuneus, and lingual gyrus. Of these, 5 methylation-GM associations were replicated (P < .05). In contrast, no pairwise significant associations were observed between SNP and GM components. This study strongly supports that compared to genetic variation, epigenetics show broader and more significant associations with brain structure as well as diagnosis, which can be cross-tissue, and the potential in explaining the mechanism of genetic risks in SZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongdong Lin
- The Mind Research Network and Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Jiayu Chen
- The Mind Research Network and Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Juan R Bustillo
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM,Department of Psychiatry, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Nora Perrone-Bizzozero
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM,Department of Psychiatry, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Esther Walton
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Vincent P Clark
- The Mind Research Network and Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM,Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Yu-Ping Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
| | - Jing Sui
- The Mind Research Network and Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM,Brainnetome Center and National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuhui Du
- The Mind Research Network and Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM,School of Computer and Information Technology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Beng C Ho
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
| | - Charles S Schulz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Vince D Calhoun
- The Mind Research Network and Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM,Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM,Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Jingyu Liu
- The Mind Research Network and Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM,Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM,To whom correspondence should be addressed; The Mind Research Network and Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, 1101 Yale Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131; tel: 505-272-5028, fax: 505-272-8002, e-mail:
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41
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Sparks DW, Tian MK, Sargin D, Venkatesan S, Intson K, Lambe EK. Opposing Cholinergic and Serotonergic Modulation of Layer 6 in Prefrontal Cortex. Front Neural Circuits 2018; 11:107. [PMID: 29354034 PMCID: PMC5758509 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2017.00107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Prefrontal cortex is a hub for attention processing and receives abundant innervation from cholinergic and serotonergic afferents. A growing body of evidence suggests that acetylcholine (ACh) and serotonin (5-HT) have opposing influences on tasks requiring attention, but the underlying neurophysiology of their opposition is unclear. One candidate target population is medial prefrontal layer 6 pyramidal neurons, which provide feedback modulation of the thalamus, as well as feed-forward excitation of cortical interneurons. Here, we assess the response of these neurons to ACh and 5-HT using whole cell recordings in acute brain slices from mouse cortex. With application of exogenous agonists, we show that individual layer 6 pyramidal neurons are bidirectionally-modulated, with ACh and 5-HT exerting opposite effects on excitability across a number of concentrations. Next, we tested the responses of layer 6 pyramidal neurons to optogenetic release of endogenous ACh or 5-HT. These experiments were performed in brain slices from transgenic mice expressing channelrhodopsin in either ChAT-expressing cholinergic neurons or Pet1-expressing serotonergic neurons. Light-evoked endogenous neuromodulation recapitulated the effects of exogenous neurotransmitters, showing opposing modulation of layer 6 pyramidal neurons by ACh and 5-HT. Lastly, the addition of 5-HT to either endogenous or exogenous ACh significantly suppressed the excitation of pyramidal neurons in prefrontal layer 6. Taken together, this work suggests that the major corticothalamic layer of prefrontal cortex is a substrate for opposing modulatory influences on neuronal activity that could have implications for regulation of attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W Sparks
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael K Tian
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Derya Sargin
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Katheron Intson
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Evelyn K Lambe
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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42
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Gescher DM, Kahl KG, Hillemacher T, Frieling H, Kuhn J, Frodl T. Epigenetics in Personality Disorders: Today's Insights. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:579. [PMID: 30510522 PMCID: PMC6252387 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Epigenetic mechanisms have been described in several mental disorders, such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia. However, less is known about the influence of epigenetic mechanisms with regard to personality disorders (PD). Therefore, we conducted a literature review on existing original data with regards to epigenetic peculiarities in connection with personality disorders. Methods: Systematic literature review using PRISMA guidelines. Search was performed via NCBI PubMed by keywords and their combinations. Used search terms included "epigenetic," "methylation," "acetylation" plus designations of specified personality traits and disorders according to DSM-IV. Results: Search yielded in total 345 publications, 257 thereof with psychiatric topic, 72 on personality disorder or traits, 43 of which were in humans and epigenetic, 23 thereof were original studies. Lastly, 23 original publications fulfilled the intended search criteria and were included. Those are 13 studies on gene methylation pattern with aggressive, antisocial and impulsive traits, 9 with borderline personality disorder (BPD), and 2 with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). The results of these studies showed significant associations of PD with methylation aberrances in system-wide genes and suggest evidence for epigenetic processes in the development of personality traits and personality disorders. Environmental factors, of which childhood trauma showed a high impact, interfered with many neurofunctional genes. Methylation alterations in ASPD and BPD repeatedly affected HTR2A, HTR3A, NR3C1, and MAOA genes. Summary: Epigenetic studies in PD seem to be a useful approach to elucidate the interaction of co-working risk factors in the pathogenesis of personality traits and disorders. However, the complexity of pathogenesis leads to divergent results and impedes an explicit interpretation. Differing methylation patterns within the selected PD could indicate subgroups which would benefit from patient-oriented therapeutic adjustments. They might play a major role in the future design and observation of early therapeutic intervention and thus could help to prevent severe dysfunctional conduct or full-blown personality disorder in risk subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothee Maria Gescher
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Otto-von-Guericke University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Kai G Kahl
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hanover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
| | - Thomas Hillemacher
- Department of Psychiatry, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Helge Frieling
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hanover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
| | - Jens Kuhn
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thomas Frodl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Otto-von-Guericke University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg, Germany
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43
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Muench C, Wiers CE, Cortes CR, Momenan R, Lohoff FW. Dopamine Transporter Gene Methylation is Associated with Nucleus Accumbens Activation During Reward Processing in Healthy but not Alcohol-Dependent Individuals. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2018; 42:21-31. [PMID: 29030974 PMCID: PMC6010188 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol's reinforcement is mediated by dopamine signaling in the ventral striatum, which is modulated by the dopamine transporter (DAT). We hypothesized that methylomic variation in the DAT gene (DAT1/SLC6A3) affects DAT expression, thus contributing to differences in brain reward circuitry in individuals with alcohol dependence (ALC). METHODS Blood from 45 recently detoxified ALC and 45 healthy control (HC) individuals was used to assess DNA methylation across 5 functional regions of SLC6A3. Participants completed the monetary incentive delay task in a 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. Employing regression models, we examined effects of SLC6A3 methylation on nucleus accumbens (NAc) blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) responses during anticipation of high/low reward/loss. RESULTS Results showed that decreased methylation of the promoter region of SLC6A3 predicted NAc activation during high loss anticipation (p = 0.028) and low loss anticipation (at trend-level; p = 0.057) in HC but not in individuals with ALC. Specifically, percentage of methylation at 2 CpG sites, located -1,001 and -993 base pairs from the transcription start site, accounted for significant variability in NAc activation in the HC group during high (ps ≤ 0.010) and low (ps ≤ 0.006) loss anticipation. There was no effect on reward anticipation. Furthermore, promoter methylation was positively associated with age, which replicates previous findings. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that methylation in the promoter region of SLC6A3 predicts NAc activation during the anticipation of monetary loss in HCs. However, this effect was not present in the ALC group, suggesting that epigenetic regulation of striatal DAT expression might be disrupted in ALC, which may contribute to previously reported differences in sensitivity to reward and punishment in this population. Alternatively, it is possible that a similar relationship in the ALC group remained undetected possibly due to methodological limitations inherent in functional MRI (e.g., poor spatial resolution, low signal-to-noise ratio) that generally restrict interpretations regarding mechanisms of epigenetic factors involved in group differences in BOLD responses. Future neuroimaging studies are needed to further elucidate the relationship between SLC6A3 methylation and NAc activation in ALC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Muench
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Corinde E. Wiers
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Carlos R. Cortes
- Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Reza Momenan
- Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Falk W. Lohoff
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Deciphering the Relationship between Obesity and Various Diseases from a Network Perspective. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:genes8120392. [PMID: 29258237 PMCID: PMC5748710 DOI: 10.3390/genes8120392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Revised: 12/02/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The number of obesity cases is rapidly increasing in developed and developing countries, thereby causing significant health problems worldwide. The pathologic factors of obesity at the molecular level are not fully characterized, although the imbalance between energy intake and consumption is widely recognized as the main reason for fat accumulation. Previous studies reported that obesity can be caused by the dysfunction of genes associated with other diseases, such as myocardial infarction, hence providing new insights into dissecting the pathogenesis of obesity by investigating its associations with other diseases. In this study, we investigated the relationship between obesity and diseases from Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) databases on the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network. The obesity genes and genes of one OMIM disease were mapped onto the network, and the interaction scores between the two gene sets were investigated on the basis of the PPI of individual gene pairs, thereby inferring the relationship between obesity and this disease. Results suggested that diseases related to nutrition and endocrine are the top two diseases that are closely associated with obesity. This finding is consistent with our general knowledge and indicates the reliability of our obtained results. Moreover, we inferred that diseases related to psychiatric factors and bone may also be highly related to obesity because the two diseases followed the diseases related to nutrition and endocrine according to our results. Numerous obesity–disease associations were identified in the literature to confirm the relationships between obesity and the aforementioned four diseases. These new results may help understand the underlying molecular mechanisms of obesity–disease co-occurrence and provide useful insights for disease prevention and intervention.
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45
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Sild M, Ruthazer ES, Booij L. Major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders from the glial perspective: Etiological mechanisms, intervention and monitoring. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 83:474-488. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Revised: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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46
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Ibrahim O, Sutherland HG, Haupt LM, Griffiths LR. An emerging role for epigenetic factors in relation to executive function. Brief Funct Genomics 2017; 17:170-180. [DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elx032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
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47
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Ismaylova E, Di Sante J, Szyf M, Nemoda Z, Yu WJ, Pomares FB, Turecki G, Gobbi G, Vitaro F, Tremblay RE, Booij L. Serotonin transporter gene promoter methylation in peripheral cells in healthy adults: Neural correlates and tissue specificity. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2017; 27:1032-1041. [PMID: 28774705 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Revised: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Early adversity can influence gene expression via epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation. Peripheral tissues are essential in psychiatric epigenetics, as methylation generally cannot be assessed in the living human brain. Several magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies show associations of peripheral serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) methylation with function and/or structure of frontal-limbic circuits and brain's resting-state. Commonly used samples are derived from blood, saliva or buccal cells. However, little is known regarding which peripheral tissue is most strongly associated with human brain processes. The aim of the current study was to compare the extent of the association between peripheral SLC6A4 promoter methylation and frontal-limbic function, structure and resting-state in healthy individuals across peripheral tissues. Forty healthy prospectively-followed adults underwent anatomical, resting-state and functional MRI. Saliva-, blood- and buccal-derived DNA methylation was assessed by pyrosequencing. Blood-derived SLC6A4 methylation was positively associated with superior frontal gray matter (GM) volume and with right lateral parietal area (RLP)-frontal pole regional resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC). Saliva-derived SLC6A4 methylation was positively associated with superior frontal GM volume. Buccal-derived SLC6A4 methylation was positively associated with superior and inferior frontal and anterior cingulate cortical (ACC) GM volumes, and with RLP-ACC, frontal pole and medial prefrontal regional rsFC. Current results confirmed the relevance of peripheral methylation for frontal-limbic processes in humans. Buccal cells may be the most sensitive cell type when studying SLC6A4 promoter methylation and its associated risk for neural vulnerability and resilience for psychopathologies in which serotonin is implicated. These data should be further validated in clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elmira Ismaylova
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jessica Di Sante
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Moshe Szyf
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Zsofia Nemoda
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Wei-Jo Yu
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Florence B Pomares
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada; Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Gabriella Gobbi
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Frank Vitaro
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada; School of Psychoeducation, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Richard E Tremblay
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada; Department of Psychology and Pediatrics, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Linda Booij
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
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Walpola IC, Nest T, Roseman L, Erritzoe D, Feilding A, Nutt DJ, Carhart-Harris RL. Altered Insula Connectivity under MDMA. Neuropsychopharmacology 2017; 42:2152-2162. [PMID: 28195139 PMCID: PMC5603811 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2016] [Revised: 02/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Recent work with noninvasive human brain imaging has started to investigate the effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on large-scale patterns of brain activity. MDMA, a potent monoamine-releaser with particularly pronounced serotonin- releasing properties, has unique subjective effects that include: marked positive mood, pleasant/unusual bodily sensations and pro-social, empathic feelings. However, the neurobiological basis for these effects is not properly understood, and the present analysis sought to address this knowledge gap. To do this, we administered MDMA-HCl (100 mg p.o.) and, separately, placebo (ascorbic acid) in a randomized, double-blind, repeated-measures design with twenty-five healthy volunteers undergoing fMRI scanning. We then employed a measure of global resting-state functional brain connectivity and follow-up seed-to-voxel analysis to the fMRI data we acquired. Results revealed decreased right insula/salience network functional connectivity under MDMA. Furthermore, these decreases in right insula/salience network connectivity correlated with baseline trait anxiety and acute experiences of altered bodily sensations under MDMA. The present findings highlight insular disintegration (ie, compromised salience network membership) as a neurobiological signature of the MDMA experience, and relate this brain effect to trait anxiety and acutely altered bodily sensations-both of which are known to be associated with insular functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ishan C Walpola
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 6825 LaSalle Boulevard, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H4H 1R3, Tel: 5147662010, E-mail:
| | - Timothy Nest
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Leor Roseman
- Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - David Erritzoe
- Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - David J Nutt
- Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Robin L Carhart-Harris
- Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Lancaster K, Morris JP, Connelly JJ. Neuroimaging Epigenetics: Challenges and Recommendations for Best Practices. Neuroscience 2017; 370:88-100. [PMID: 28801185 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Neuroimaging epigenetics is an interdisciplinary application of epigenetics to cognitive neuroscience that seeks to identify molecular and neural predictors of human behavior. This approach can be sensitive to the dynamic interaction between biological predisposition and environmental influences, and is potentially more informative than an approach using static genetic code. Recent work in this field has generated considerable enthusiasm, yet caution is warranted since any novel cross-disciplinary approach lacks a set of established conventions or standards. In this paper we review existing research in the field of imaging epigenetics, outline important caveats and considerations, and suggest a set of guidelines for researchers conducting this work.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Epigenetics refers to the study of heritable changes in gene expression not involving changes in DNA sequence and is presently an active area of research in biology and medicine. There is increasing evidence that epigenetics is involved in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders. AIMS AND METHODS Several studies conducted to date have suggested that psychosocial factors act by modifying epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression in the brain in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders. Such studies have been conducted both on brain tissues and also using peripheral tissues as substitutes for brain tissues. This article reviews such studies. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression in the brain appear to link one individual with another in the context of social psychiatry. Epigenetics appears to be of major importance to the field of social psychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Peedicayil
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Christian Medical College Vellore, Vellore, India
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