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Anisman H, Doubad D, Asokumar A, Matheson K. Psychosocial and neurobiological aspects of the worldwide refugee crisis: From vulnerability to resilience. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024:105859. [PMID: 39159733 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
Anisman, H., Doubad, D., Asokumar, A. & Matheson, K. Psychosocial and neurobiological aspects of the worldwide refugee crisis: From vulnerability to resilience. NEUROSCI BIOBEHAV REV, XXXX. Immigration occurs between countries either to obtain employment, for family reunification or to escape violence and other life-threatening conditions. Refugees and asylum seekers are often obligated to overcome a uniquely challenging set of circumstances prior to and during migration. Settlement following immigration may pose yet another set of stressors related to acculturation to the host country, as well as financial insecurity, discrimination, language barriers, and social isolation. Here we discuss the multiple consequences of immigration experiences, focusing on the health disturbances that frequently develop in adults and children. Aside from the psychosocial influences, immigration-related challenges may cause hormonal, inflammatory immune, and microbiota changes that favor psychological and physical illnesses. Some biological alterations are subject to modification by epigenetic changes, which have implications for intergenerational trauma transmission, as might disruptions in parenting behaviors and family dysfunction. Despite the hardships experienced, many immigrants and their families exhibit positive psychological adjustment after resettlement. We provide information to diminish the impacts associated with immigration and offer strength-based approaches that may foster resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Anisman
- Carleton University, Department of Neuroscience, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1S 5B6.
| | - D Doubad
- Carleton University, Department of Neuroscience, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1S 5B6
| | - A Asokumar
- Carleton University, Department of Neuroscience, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1S 5B6
| | - K Matheson
- Carleton University, Department of Neuroscience, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1S 5B6
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Taylor K, Demakakos P. Adverse childhood experiences and trajectories of multimorbidity in individuals aged over 50: Evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2024; 149:106653. [PMID: 38277873 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are important for chronic diseases yet their association with multimorbidity remains understudied. Few studies consider the complexity of multimorbidity or observe multimorbidity development over time. OBJECTIVE We investigated whether ACE were associated with multimorbidity at baseline and over a 12-year follow-up period. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING 5326 participants aged over 50 were obtained from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). METHODS An ACE summary score was derived using eight ACE items measuring abuse, social care, and household dysfunction. From repeated measurements of 29 chronic conditions over a 12-year period (2008-2019) we derived two multimorbidity measures: number of chronic diseases and number of chronic disease categories. We used multinomial logistic regression to assess associations between ACE and both measures. Mixed effects models were estimated to examine trajectories of multimorbidity by ACE over time. RESULTS Graded associations between ACE and multimorbidity were observed. Compared to those without ACE, participants with ≥3 ACE had three times the risk of having ≥3 chronic diseases (RRR 3.06, 95 % CI 1.85-5.05) and falling into ≥3 chronic disease categories (RRR 2·93 95 % CI 1·74-4·95). Graded associations persisted during 12-year follow-up, though differences in multimorbidity between those with ≥3 ACE and those without ACE remained constant (B 0.02, 95 % CI 0·01-0·03, and B -0·01, 95 % CI -0·02-0·00, number of chronic conditions and chronic condition categories respectively). CONCLUSION ACE are associated with multimorbidity risk and complexity, associations arising before the age of 50. Early intervention amongst those with ACE could attenuate this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Taylor
- Division of Biosciences, Medical Sciences Building, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| | - Panayotes Demakakos
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 7HB, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Valvassori SS, da Rosa RT, Dal-Pont GC, Varela RB, Mastella GA, Daminelli T, Fries GR, Quevedo J, Zugno AI. Haloperidol alters neurotrophic factors and epigenetic parameters in an animal model of schizophrenia induced by ketamine. Int J Dev Neurosci 2023; 83:691-702. [PMID: 37635268 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10296] [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: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate Haloperidol's (Hal) effects on the behavioral, neurotrophic factors, and epigenetic parameters in an animal model of schizophrenia (SCZ) induced by ketamine (Ket). Injections of Ket or saline were administered intraperitoneal (once a day) between the 1st and 14th days of the experiment. Water or Hal was administered via gavage between the 8th and 14th experimental days. Thirty minutes after the last injection, the animals were subjected to behavioral analysis. The activity of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT), histone deacetylase (HDAC), and histone acetyltransferase and levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) were evaluated in the frontal cortex, hippocampus, and striatum. Ket increased the covered distance and time spent in the central area of the open field, and Hal did not reverse these behavioral alterations. Significant increases in the DNMT and HDAC activities were detected in the frontal cortex and striatum from rats that received Ket, Hal, or a combination thereof. Besides, Hal per se increased the activity of DNMT and HDAC in the hippocampus of rats. Hal per se or the association of Ket plus Hal decreased BDNF, NGF, NT-3, and GDNF, depending on the brain region and treatment regimen. The administration of Hal can alter the levels of neurotrophic factors and the activity of epigenetic enzymes, which can be a factor in the development of effect collateral in SCZ patients. However, the precise mechanisms involved in these alterations are still unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samira S Valvassori
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Richard T da Rosa
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Gustavo C Dal-Pont
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Roger B Varela
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Gustavo A Mastella
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Thiani Daminelli
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Gabriel R Fries
- Translational Psychiatry Program, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, Texas, USA
- Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, Texas, USA
| | - João Quevedo
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, Santa Catarina, Brazil
- Translational Psychiatry Program, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, Texas, USA
- Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, Texas, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Alexandra I Zugno
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, Santa Catarina, Brazil
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Grezenko H, Ekhator C, Nwabugwu NU, Ganga H, Affaf M, Abdelaziz AM, Rehman A, Shehryar A, Abbasi FA, Bellegarde SB, Khaliq AS. Epigenetics in Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders: A Comprehensive Review of Current Understanding and Future Perspectives. Cureus 2023; 15:e43960. [PMID: 37622055 PMCID: PMC10446850 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.43960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The burgeoning field of epigenetics offers transformative insights into the complex landscape of neurological and psychiatric disorders. By unraveling the intricate interplay between genetic, epigenetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors, this comprehensive review highlights the multifaceted nature of mental health. The exploration reveals the potential of epigenetic modifications to revolutionize our understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of these disorders. Emphasizing the importance of multidisciplinary collaborations, large-scale studies, technological advancements, and ethical considerations, the review asserts the promise of epigenetics as a vital tool for personalized medicine, early intervention, and public health strategies. While acknowledging the challenges in a still-emerging field, the review paints an optimistic picture of epigenetics as a groundbreaking approach that can reshape mental healthcare, offering hope for those affected by neurological and psychiatric conditions. The future trajectory of the field relies on interdisciplinary efforts, ethical diligence, innovative technologies, and translating scientific insights into real-world applications, thereby unlocking the vast potential of epigenetics in mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Grezenko
- Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, USA
| | - Chukwuyem Ekhator
- Neuro-Oncology, New York Institute of Technology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, USA
| | - Nkechi U Nwabugwu
- Public Health, Hudson College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, USA
| | | | - Maryam Affaf
- Internal Medicine, Women Medical College, Abbottabad, PAK
| | - Ali M Abdelaziz
- Internal Medicine, Alexandria University Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria, EGY
| | | | | | - Fatima A Abbasi
- Cardiology, Shifa International Hospital Islamabad, Islamabad, PAK
| | - Sophia B Bellegarde
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, American University of Antigua, St. John's, ATG
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Dobbins S, Hubbard E, Leutwyler H. Education Mediates Racial Disparities in Cognitive Impairment Among Older Adults With Schizophrenia. Clin Gerontol 2023; 46:66-79. [PMID: 33579181 PMCID: PMC8610378 DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2021.1882021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In the general population, the construct of race is associated with disparities in cognitive aging. There are notable racial group disparities and inequities among people living with schizophrenia (PLWSz). Despite the salience of the construct of race in schizophrenia, there remains a knowledge gap about racial disparities in cognitive impairment among older adults in this vulnerable population. Our study uses mediation analysis to examine racial disparities in cognitive impairment among older adults with schizophrenia. METHODS We assess global cognition in PLWSz over age 55 with the Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia cognitive test battery in our "all-comer" sample (N = 64). The primary exposure is self-reported racial group. We examine mediation of cognitive impairment through educational attainment, adjusting for psychiatric illness severity, history of substance use, and vascular risk factors. RESULTS There was a Black/non-Black group racial disparity in global cognitive score (-2.8, 95% CI: -4.4, -1.3) after adjusting for confounding and interaction. This disparity was significantly mediated by years of education. CONCLUSIONS There are notable racial disparities in cognitive impairment among older adults with schizophrenia; however, differences in cognitive scores between racial groups are mediated by level of education. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS Social determinants of health, particularly educational attainment, are important risk factors for cognitive impairment in PLWSz and should be considered by clinicians. Early screening and assessment of cognitive symptoms is essential to addressing health disparities/inequalities among older adults living with schizophrenia. ABBREVIATIONS CDE Controlled Direct EffectsHIV: Human Immunodeficiency VirusMATRICS: Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in SchizophreniaMCCB: MATRICS Consensus Cognitive BatteryMTE: Marginal Total EffectsNDE: Natural Direct EffectsPANSS: Positive and Negative Symptom ScalePLWSz: People with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Dobbins
- University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing, 2 Koret Way, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Erin Hubbard
- University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing, 2 Koret Way, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Heather Leutwyler
- University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing, 2 Koret Way, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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Dissecting early life stress-induced adolescent depression through epigenomic approach. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:141-153. [PMID: 36517640 PMCID: PMC9812796 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01907-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS), such as abuse and neglect during childhood, can lead to psychiatric disorders in later life. Previous studies have suggested that ELS can cause profound changes in gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms, which can lead to psychiatric disorders in adulthood; however, studies on epigenetic modifications associated with ELS and psychiatric disorders in adolescents are limited. Moreover, how these epigenetic modifications can lead to psychiatric disorders in adolescents is not fully understood. Commonly, DNA methylation, histone modification, and the regulation of noncoding RNAs have been attributed to the reprogramming of epigenetic profiling associated with ELS. Although only a few studies have attempted to examine epigenetic modifications in adolescents with ELS, existing evidence suggests that there are commonalities and differences in epigenetic profiling between adolescents and adults. In addition, epigenetic modifications are sex-dependent and are influenced by the type of ELS. In this review, we have critically evaluated the current evidence on epigenetic modifications in adolescents with ELS, particularly DNA methylation and the expression of microRNAs in both preclinical models and humans. We have also clarified the impact of ELS on psychiatric disorders in adolescents to predict the development of neuropsychiatric disorders and to prevent and recover these disorders through personalized medicine.
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No evidence for intervention-associated DNA methylation changes in monocytes of patients with posttraumatic stress disorder. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17347. [PMID: 36253434 PMCID: PMC9576776 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22177-1] [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: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation patterns can be responsive to environmental influences. This observation has sparked interest in the potential for psychological interventions to influence epigenetic processes. Recent studies have observed correlations between DNA methylation changes and therapy outcome. However, most did not control for changes in cell composition. This study had two aims: first, we sought to replicate therapy-associated changes in DNA methylation of commonly assessed candidate genes in isolated monocytes from 60 female patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Our second, exploratory goal was to identify novel genomic regions with substantial pre-to-post intervention DNA methylation changes by performing whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) in two patients with PTSD. Equivalence testing and Bayesian analyses provided evidence against physiologically meaningful intervention-associated DNA methylation changes in monocytes of PTSD patients in commonly investigated target genes (NR3C1, FKBP5, SLC6A4, OXTR). Furthermore, WGBS yielded only a limited set of candidate regions with suggestive evidence of differential DNA methylation pre- to post-therapy. These differential DNA methylation patterns did not prove replicable when investigated in the entire cohort. We conclude that there is no evidence for major, recurrent intervention-associated DNA methylation changes in the investigated genes in monocytes of patients with PTSD.
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8
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Lloyd DT, Skinner HG, Maguire R, Murphy SK, Motsinger-Reif AA, Hoyo C, House JS. Clomifene and Assisted Reproductive Technology in Humans Are Associated with Sex-Specific Offspring Epigenetic Alterations in Imprinted Control Regions. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:10450. [PMID: 36142363 PMCID: PMC9499479 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Children conceived with assisted reproductive technology (ART) have an increased risk of adverse outcomes, including congenital malformations and imprinted gene disorders. In a retrospective North Carolina-based-birth-cohort, we examined the effect of ovulation drugs and ART on CpG methylation in differentially methylated CpGs in known imprint control regions (ICRs). Nine ICRs containing 48 CpGs were assessed for methylation status by pyrosequencing in mixed leukocytes from cord blood. After restricting to non-smoking, college-educated participants who agreed to follow-up, ART-exposed (n = 27), clomifene-only-exposed (n = 22), and non-exposed (n = 516) groups were defined. Associations of clomifene and ART with ICR CpG methylation were assessed with linear regression and stratifying by offspring sex. In males, ART was associated with hypomethylation of the PEG3 ICR [β(95% CI) = -1.46 (-2.81, -0.12)] and hypermethylation of the MEG3 ICR [3.71 (0.01, 7.40)]; clomifene-only was associated with hypomethylation of the NNAT ICR [-5.25 (-10.12, -0.38)]. In female offspring, ART was associated with hypomethylation of the IGF2 ICR [-3.67 (-6.79, -0.55)]. Aberrant methylation of these ICRs has been associated with cardiovascular disease and metabolic and behavioral outcomes in children. The results suggest that the increased risk of adverse outcomes in offspring conceived through ART may be due in part to altered methylation of ICRs. Larger studies utilizing epigenome-wide interrogation are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dillon T. Lloyd
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
- Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Harlyn G. Skinner
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Rachel Maguire
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Susan K. Murphy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Duke University, Durham, NC 27701, USA
| | - Alison A. Motsinger-Reif
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Cathrine Hoyo
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - John S. House
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
- Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
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Cell-type-specific epigenetic effects of early life stress on the brain. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:326. [PMID: 35948532 PMCID: PMC9365848 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02076-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) induces long-term phenotypic adaptations that contribute to increased vulnerability to a host of neuropsychiatric disorders. Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNA, are a proposed link between environmental stressors, alterations in gene expression, and phenotypes. Epigenetic modifications play a primary role in shaping functional differences between cell types and can be modified by environmental perturbations, especially in early development. Together with contributions from genetic variation, epigenetic mechanisms orchestrate patterns of gene expression within specific cell types that contribute to phenotypic variation between individuals. To date, many studies have provided insights into epigenetic changes resulting from ELS. However, most of these studies have examined heterogenous brain tissue, despite evidence of cell-type-specific epigenetic modifications in phenotypes associated with ELS. In this review, we focus on rodent and human studies that have examined epigenetic modifications induced by ELS in select cell types isolated from the brain or associated with genes that have cell-type-restricted expression in neurons, microglia, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Although significant challenges remain, future studies using these approaches can enable important mechanistic insight into the role of epigenetic variation in the effects of ELS on brain function.
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Ethology of the Freed Animal. Concept, Paradigm and Implementations to the Moral Status of Non-Human Animals. RELATIONS 2022. [DOI: 10.7358/rela-2022-01-cema] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The essay focuses on the methodological and theoretical premises of an emerging research area with both ethological and (bio)ethical implications: the ethology of the freed animal (EFA). Unlike existing ethological fields, EFA does not focus on the observation of nonhuman (NH) animals in a natural condition of freedom, nor on situations of captivity. Rather, EFA consists of a comparative study of NH animals that are removed from a condition of captivity, from the status of “living tool” of human beings and from any form of exploitation – instead relocated in an environment fairly appropriate to their speciesspecific and individual characteristics. Ideal places for this study are animal sanctuaries and parks/reserves where a previously captive NH animal can be reintroduced in their natural habitat or, when this proves impossible, in a contest appropriate to their characteristics and needs. Even though EFA exists already, as a de facto practice of the personnel running sanctuaries and parks, the field still lacks a recognizable scholarly paradigm, and is not yet acknowledged at institutional/academic level, nor were its moral implications thoroughly discussed. Consequently, one important aim for such a field is the establishment of an active interaction between the two parties involved (researchers and sanctuaries/parks operators).
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Wang YZ, Zhao W, Ammous F, Song Y, Du J, Shang L, Ratliff SM, Moore K, Kelly KM, Needham BL, Diez Roux AV, Liu Y, Butler KR, Kardia SLR, Mukherjee B, Zhou X, Smith JA. DNA Methylation Mediates the Association Between Individual and Neighborhood Social Disadvantage and Cardiovascular Risk Factors. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:848768. [PMID: 35665255 PMCID: PMC9162507 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.848768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Low socioeconomic status (SES) and living in a disadvantaged neighborhood are associated with poor cardiovascular health. Multiple lines of evidence have linked DNA methylation to both cardiovascular risk factors and social disadvantage indicators. However, limited research has investigated the role of DNA methylation in mediating the associations of individual- and neighborhood-level disadvantage with multiple cardiovascular risk factors in large, multi-ethnic, population-based cohorts. We examined whether disadvantage at the individual level (childhood and adult SES) and neighborhood level (summary neighborhood SES as assessed by Census data and social environment as assessed by perceptions of aesthetic quality, safety, and social cohesion) were associated with 11 cardiovascular risk factors including measures of obesity, diabetes, lipids, and hypertension in 1,154 participants from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). For significant associations, we conducted epigenome-wide mediation analysis to identify methylation sites mediating the relationship between individual/neighborhood disadvantage and cardiovascular risk factors using the JT-Comp method that assesses sparse mediation effects under a composite null hypothesis. In models adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, smoking, medication use, and genetic principal components of ancestry, epigenetic mediation was detected for the associations of adult SES with body mass index (BMI), insulin, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), as well as for the association between neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage and HDL-C at FDR q < 0.05. The 410 CpG mediators identified for the SES-BMI association were enriched for CpGs associated with gene expression (expression quantitative trait methylation loci, or eQTMs), and corresponding genes were enriched in antigen processing and presentation pathways. For cardiovascular risk factors other than BMI, most of the epigenetic mediators lost significance after controlling for BMI. However, 43 methylation sites showed evidence of mediating the neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage and HDL-C association after BMI adjustment. The identified mediators were enriched for eQTMs, and corresponding genes were enriched in inflammatory and apoptotic pathways. Our findings support the hypothesis that DNA methylation acts as a mediator between individual- and neighborhood-level disadvantage and cardiovascular risk factors, and shed light on the potential underlying epigenetic pathways. Future studies are needed to fully elucidate the biological mechanisms that link social disadvantage to poor cardiovascular health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhe Wang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Wei Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Farah Ammous
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Yanyi Song
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Jiacong Du
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Lulu Shang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Scott M. Ratliff
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Kari Moore
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Kristen M. Kelly
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Belinda L. Needham
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Ana V. Diez Roux
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Yongmei Liu
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Kenneth R. Butler
- Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, United States
| | - Sharon L. R. Kardia
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Bhramar Mukherjee
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Xiang Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Jennifer A. Smith
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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Farroni T, Della Longa L, Valori I. The self-regulatory affective touch: a speculative framework for the development of executive functioning. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2021.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Saad SM, Iwundu C, Ibrahim MS, Randhawa G, Pang D. Life-Course Influence of Adolescent Behaviour Problems on Type 2 Diabetes in Midlife: Results from 1958 British Birth Cohort Study. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes 2022; 15:963-972. [PMID: 35378832 PMCID: PMC8976514 DOI: 10.2147/dmso.s308620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To assess whether there is a long-term relationship between childhood behaviour problems and type 2 diabetes in midlife. The study will also investigate whether any of such relationship is independent of other factors which may be associated with type 2 diabetes. DESIGN Cohort study. PARTICIPANTS A total of 9377 members of the 1958 British birth cohort participated in the biomedical survey at age 45 years. The cohort has been followed up at regular intervals in childhood (age 7, 11 and 16 years) and adulthood (23, 33, 42 and 45 years). PREDICTOR VARIABLES Information regarding childhood behaviour collected during follow-ups at ages 7, 11 and 16 years. MAIN OUTCOME VARIABLES Type 2 diabetes assessed using HbA1c at age 45 years. RESULTS Unadjusted estimates show that teachers reported adolescent behaviour problems at age of 16 are associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes in midlife. After adjustment for potential confounders and mediators in childhood and adulthood, a relationship was observed between the severity of adolescent behaviour problems and type 2 diabetes risk in midlife (mild behaviour problems: OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.11-4.23; severe behaviour problems: OR 4.40, 95% CI 1.14-16.99). However, no such relationship was observed between behaviour problems at 7 and 11 years and type 2 diabetes in midlife. CONCLUSION There is an association between adolescent behaviour problems and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in midlife. Further molecular/genetic studies are required to understand the biological basis for this observed association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadiq M Saad
- Institute for Health Research, University of Bedfordshire, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU2 8LE, England
| | - Chukwuma Iwundu
- Institute for Health Research, University of Bedfordshire, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU2 8LE, England
| | - Musa S Ibrahim
- Institute for Health Research, University of Bedfordshire, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU2 8LE, England
- Correspondence: Musa S Ibrahim, Institute for Health Research, University of Bedfordshire, Putteridge Bury, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU2 8LE, England, Tel +447918698231, Email
| | - Gurch Randhawa
- Institute for Health Research, University of Bedfordshire, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU2 8LE, England
| | - Dong Pang
- Institute for Health Research, University of Bedfordshire, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU2 8LE, England
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14
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Winiarski DA, Glover AC, Bounds DT, Karnik NS. Addressing Intersecting Social and Mental Health Needs Among Transition-Age Homeless Youths: A Review of the Literature. Psychiatr Serv 2021; 72:317-324. [PMID: 33397145 PMCID: PMC7920918 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.201900498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Homelessness among youths is a poorly understood and complex social phenomenon. The authors examined the risk factors for homelessness among transition-age young adults, including the unique mental health concerns that often perpetuate the cycle of poverty and housing instability among these youths. The authors discuss the treatment gaps for mental health conditions in this population and identify potential solutions for reducing existing barriers to care. A literature review revealed that many studies report high rates of trauma and subsequent mental health problems among homeless youths. Intervention studies are challenging to conduct with this population and often have high attrition rates. Youths who are homeless desire mental health services and are especially enthusiastic about programs that address interpersonal difficulties and emotion regulation. Clinical data suggest that future interventions should address trauma more directly in this population. Technology-based interventions may help address the needs of homeless youths and may maximize their access to care. Because youths strongly prefer technology-based platforms, future research should integrate these platforms to better address the mental health needs identified as most salient by homeless youths. The authors discuss proposed policy changes at local, state, and federal levels to improve uptake of this proposed strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika A Winiarski
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University, Chicago (all authors); Department of Psychology, Fordham University, New York City (Glover); Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, University of California, Irvine (Bounds)
| | - Angela C Glover
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University, Chicago (all authors); Department of Psychology, Fordham University, New York City (Glover); Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, University of California, Irvine (Bounds)
| | - Dawn T Bounds
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University, Chicago (all authors); Department of Psychology, Fordham University, New York City (Glover); Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, University of California, Irvine (Bounds)
| | - Niranjan S Karnik
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University, Chicago (all authors); Department of Psychology, Fordham University, New York City (Glover); Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, University of California, Irvine (Bounds)
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15
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Prakash J, Chatterjee K, Shankar S. Does application of complexity theory simplify concepts of psychiatry: Analogies and insights. Ind Psychiatry J 2021; 30:18-22. [PMID: 34483519 PMCID: PMC8395535 DOI: 10.4103/ipj.ipj_37_21] [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: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Scientific curiosity has not been able to explain the cause of psychiatric illness based on primarily biological or social paradigm. Available literatures were explored to understand causality of psychiatric illness from perspective of physics. Theory of complexity and other relevant theories were extrapolated to address these questions. Mental illness appeared to be a complex interplay of reductionism and emergentism, genetic and epigenetics, stress and the vulnerability or the core and the periphery. Mental illness displayed complex interaction between biological trait and environmental state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti Prakash
- Department of Psychiatry, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - K Chatterjee
- Department of Psychiatry, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - S Shankar
- Consultant Rheumatologist and Clinical Immunologist, O/o DGAFMS, New Delhi, India
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16
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Der epigenetische Körper zwischen biosozialer Komplexität und Umweltdeterminismus. Public Health 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-658-30377-8_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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17
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Krzyżanowska M, Rębała K, Steiner J, Kaliszan M, Pieśniak D, Karnecki K, Wiergowski M, Brisch R, Braun K, Jankowski Z, Kosmowska M, Chociej J, Gos T. Reduced ribosomal DNA transcription in the prefrontal cortex of suicide victims: consistence of new molecular RT-qPCR findings with previous morphometric data from AgNOR-stained pyramidal neurons. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2021; 271:567-576. [PMID: 33501518 PMCID: PMC7981327 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-021-01232-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Prefrontal cortical regions play a key role in behavioural regulation, which is profoundly disturbed in suicide. The study was carried out on frozen cortical samples from the anterior cingulate cortex (dorsal and ventral parts, ACd and ACv), the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and the dorsolateral cortex (DLC) obtained from 20 suicide completers (predominantly violent) with unknown psychiatric diagnosis and 21 non-suicidal controls. The relative level of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) as a marker of the transcriptional activity of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) was evaluated bilaterally in prefrontal regions mentioned above (i.e. in eight regions of interest, ROIs) by reverse transcription and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The overall statistical analysis revealed a decrease in rDNA activity in suicide victims versus controls, particularly in male subjects. Further ROI-specific post hoc analyses revealed a significant decrease in this activity in suicides compared to non-suicides in five ROIs. This effect was accentuated in the ACv, where it was observed bilaterally. Our findings suggest that decreased rDNA transcription in the prefrontal cortex plays an important role in suicide pathogenesis and corresponds with our previous morphometric analyses of AgNOR-stained neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Krzyżanowska
- grid.11451.300000 0001 0531 3426Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Dębowa 23, 80-204 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Rębała
- grid.11451.300000 0001 0531 3426Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Dębowa 23, 80-204 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Johann Steiner
- grid.5807.a0000 0001 1018 4307Department of Psychiatry, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Michał Kaliszan
- grid.11451.300000 0001 0531 3426Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Dębowa 23, 80-204 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Dorota Pieśniak
- grid.11451.300000 0001 0531 3426Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Dębowa 23, 80-204 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Karol Karnecki
- grid.11451.300000 0001 0531 3426Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Dębowa 23, 80-204 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Marek Wiergowski
- grid.11451.300000 0001 0531 3426Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Dębowa 23, 80-204 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Ralf Brisch
- grid.11451.300000 0001 0531 3426Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Dębowa 23, 80-204 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Katharina Braun
- grid.5807.a0000 0001 1018 4307Department of Zoology/Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Zbigniew Jankowski
- grid.11451.300000 0001 0531 3426Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Dębowa 23, 80-204 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Monika Kosmowska
- grid.11451.300000 0001 0531 3426Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Dębowa 23, 80-204 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Joanna Chociej
- grid.11451.300000 0001 0531 3426Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Dębowa 23, 80-204 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Tomasz Gos
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Dębowa 23, 80-204, Gdańsk, Poland. .,Department of Psychiatry, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany. .,Department of Zoology/Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
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18
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Wiss DA, Avena N, Gold M. Food Addiction and Psychosocial Adversity: Biological Embedding, Contextual Factors, and Public Health Implications. Nutrients 2020; 12:E3521. [PMID: 33207612 PMCID: PMC7698089 DOI: 10.3390/nu12113521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of stress, trauma, and adversity particularly early in life has been identified as a contributing factor in both drug and food addictions. While links between traumatic stress and substance use disorders are well documented, the pathways to food addiction and obesity are less established. This review focuses on psychosocial and neurobiological factors that may increase risk for addiction-like behaviors and ultimately increase BMI over the lifespan. Early childhood and adolescent adversity can induce long-lasting alterations in the glucocorticoid and dopamine systems that lead to increased addiction vulnerability later in life. Allostatic load, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and emerging data on epigenetics in the context of biological embedding are highlighted. A conceptual model for food addiction is proposed, which integrates data on the biological embedding of adversity as well as upstream psychological, social, and environmental factors. Dietary restraint as a feature of disordered eating is discussed as an important contextual factor related to food addiction. Discussion of various public health and policy considerations are based on the concept that improved knowledge of biopsychosocial mechanisms contributing to food addiction may decrease stigma associated with obesity and disordered eating behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A. Wiss
- Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA;
| | - Nicole Avena
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA;
- Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Mark Gold
- School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
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19
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Gatta E, Saudagar V, Auta J, Grayson DR, Guidotti A. Epigenetic landscape of stress surfeit disorders: Key role for DNA methylation dynamics. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2020; 156:127-183. [PMID: 33461662 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2020.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Chronic exposure to stress throughout lifespan alters brain structure and function, inducing a maladaptive response to environmental stimuli, that can contribute to the development of a pathological phenotype. Studies have shown that hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction is associated with various neuropsychiatric disorders, including major depressive, alcohol use and post-traumatic stress disorders. Downstream actors of the HPA axis, glucocorticoids are critical mediators of the stress response and exert their function through specific receptors, i.e., the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), highly expressed in stress/reward-integrative pathways. GRs are ligand-activated transcription factors that recruit epigenetic actors to regulate gene expression via DNA methylation, altering chromatin structure and thus shaping the response to stress. The dynamic interplay between stress response and epigenetic modifiers suggest DNA methylation plays a key role in the development of stress surfeit disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Gatta
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatric Institute, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Vikram Saudagar
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatric Institute, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - James Auta
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatric Institute, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Dennis R Grayson
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatric Institute, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Alessandro Guidotti
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatric Institute, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.
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20
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Dong E, Pandey SC. Prenatal stress induced chromatin remodeling and risk of psychopathology in adulthood. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2020; 156:185-215. [PMID: 33461663 PMCID: PMC7864549 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2020.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
New insights into the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders suggest the existence of a complex interplay between genetics and environment. This notion is supported by evidence suggesting that exposure to stress during pregnancy exerts profound effects on the neurodevelopment and behavior of the offspring and predisposes them to psychiatric disorders later in life. Accumulated evidence suggests that vulnerability to psychiatric disorders may result from permanent negative effects of long-term changes in synaptic plasticity due to altered epigenetic mechanisms (histone modifications and DNA methylation) that lead to condensed chromatin architecture, thereby decreasing the expression of candidate genes during early brain development. In this chapter, we have summarized the literature of clinical studies on psychiatric disorders induced by maternal stress during pregnancy. We also discussed the epigenetic alterations of gene regulations induced by prenatal stress. Because the clinical manifestations of psychiatric disorders are complex, it is obvious that the biological progression of these diseases cannot be studied only in postmortem brains of patients and the use of animal models is required. Therefore, in this chapter, we have introduced a well-established mouse model of prenatal stress (PRS) generated in restrained pregnant dams. The behavioral phenotypes of the offspring (PRS mice) born to the stressed dam and underlying epigenetic changes in key molecules related to synaptic activity were described and highlighted. PRS mice may serve as a useful model for investigating the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders and may be a useful tool for screening for the potential compounds that may normalize aberrant epigenetic mechanisms induced by prenatal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erbo Dong
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.
| | - Subhash C Pandey
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
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21
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Effects of Early Life Stress on Bone Homeostasis in Mice and Humans. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186634. [PMID: 32927845 PMCID: PMC7556040 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone pathology is frequent in stressed individuals. A comprehensive examination of mechanisms linking life stress, depression and disturbed bone homeostasis is missing. In this translational study, mice exposed to early life stress (MSUS) were examined for bone microarchitecture (μCT), metabolism (qPCR/ELISA), and neuronal stress mediator expression (qPCR) and compared with a sample of depressive patients with or without early life stress by analyzing bone mineral density (BMD) (DXA) and metabolic changes in serum (osteocalcin, PINP, CTX-I). MSUS mice showed a significant decrease in NGF, NPYR1, VIPR1 and TACR1 expression, higher innervation density in bone, and increased serum levels of CTX-I, suggesting a milieu in favor of catabolic bone turnover. MSUS mice had a significantly lower body weight compared to control mice, and this caused minor effects on bone microarchitecture. Depressive patients with experiences of childhood neglect also showed a catabolic pattern. A significant reduction in BMD was observed in depressive patients with childhood abuse and stressful life events during childhood. Therefore, future studies on prevention and treatment strategies for both mental and bone disease should consider early life stress as a risk factor for bone pathologies.
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22
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Barrero-Castillero A, Morton SU, Nelson CA, Smith VC. Psychosocial Stress and Adversity: Effects from the Perinatal Period to Adulthood. Neoreviews 2020; 20:e686-e696. [PMID: 31792156 DOI: 10.1542/neo.20-12-e686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Early exposure to stress and adversity can have both immediate and lasting effects on physical and psychological health. Critical periods have been identified in infancy, during which the presence or absence of experiences can alter developmental trajectories. There are multiple explanations for how exposure to psychosocial stress, before conception or early in life, has an impact on later increased risk for developmental delays, mental health, and chronic metabolic diseases. Through both epidemiologic and animal models, the mechanisms by which experiences are transmitted across generations are being identified. Because psychosocial stress has multiple components that can act as stress mediators, a comprehensive understanding of the complex interactions between multiple adverse or beneficial experiences and their ultimate effects on health is essential to best identify interventions that will improve health and outcomes. This review outlines what is known about the biology, transfer, and effects of psychosocial stress and early life adversity from the perinatal period to adulthood. This information can be used to identify potential areas in which clinicians in neonatal medicine could intervene to improve outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Barrero-Castillero
- Division of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA.,Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Sarah U Morton
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,Harvard Graduate School of Education, Boston, MA
| | - Vincent C Smith
- Division of Neonatology, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA.,Department of Pediatrics, Boston University, Boston, MA
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23
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Cheung S, Woo J, Maes MS, Zai CC. Suicide epigenetics, a review of recent progress. J Affect Disord 2020; 265:423-438. [PMID: 32090769 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.01.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Suicide results in over 800,000 deaths every year, making it a major public health concern worldwide. It is highly complex, with genetic and environmental influences. Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, miRNA, and histone modifications, could explain the complex interplay of environmental risk factors with genetic risk factors in the emergence of suicidal behavior. METHODS Here, we review the literature on suicide epigenetics over the past 10 years. RESULTS There has been significant progress in the field of suicide epigenetics, with emerging findings in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis genes. LIMITATIONS Studying patient subgroups is needed in order to extract more comparable and reproducible epigenetic findings in suicide. CONCLUSIONS It is crucial to consider suicidal patients or suicide victims' distal and proximal past history e.g., early-life adversity and psychiatric disorder in epigenetic studies of suicidality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serina Cheung
- Neurogenetics Section, Tanenbaum Centre for Pharmacogenetics, Molecular Brain Science, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada
| | - Julia Woo
- Neurogenetics Section, Tanenbaum Centre for Pharmacogenetics, Molecular Brain Science, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Miriam S Maes
- Neurogenetics Section, Tanenbaum Centre for Pharmacogenetics, Molecular Brain Science, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada
| | - Clement C Zai
- Neurogenetics Section, Tanenbaum Centre for Pharmacogenetics, Molecular Brain Science, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada; Division of Brain and Therapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Canada; Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Canada; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
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24
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Verhagen M, Verweij KJH, Lodder GMA, Goossens L, Verschueren K, Van Leeuwen K, Van den Noortgate W, Claes S, Bijttebier P, Van Assche E, Vink JM. A SNP, Gene, and Polygenic Risk Score Approach of Oxytocin-Vasopressin Genes in Adolescents' Loneliness. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE 2020; 30 Suppl 2:333-348. [PMID: 30697859 PMCID: PMC7277497 DOI: 10.1111/jora.12480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Not much is known regarding underlying biological pathways to adolescents' loneliness. Insight in underlying molecular mechanisms could inform intervention efforts aimed at reducing loneliness. Using latent growth curve modeling, baseline levels and development of loneliness were studied in two longitudinal adolescent samples. Genes (OXTR, OXT, AVPR1A, AVPR1B) were examined using SNP-based, gene-based, and polygenic risk score (PRS) approaches. In both samples, SNP- and gene-based tests showed involvement of the OXTR gene in development of loneliness, though, significance levels did not survive correction for multiple testing. The PRS approach provided no evidence for relations with loneliness. We recommend alternative phenotyping methods, including environmental factors, to consider epigenetic studies, and to examine possible endophenotypes in relation to adolescents' loneliness.
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25
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Aoued HS, Sannigrahi S, Hunter SC, Doshi N, Sathi ZS, Chan AWS, Walum H, Dias BG. Proximate causes and consequences of intergenerational influences of salient sensory experience. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 19:e12638. [PMID: 31943801 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Salient sensory environments experienced by a parental generation can exert intergenerational influences on offspring. While these data provide an exciting new perspective on biological inheritance, questions remain about causes and consequences of intergenerational influences of salient sensory experience. We previously showed that exposing male mice to a salient olfactory experience, like olfactory fear conditioning, resulted in offspring demonstrating a sensitivity to the odor used to condition the paternal generation and possessing enhanced neuroanatomical representation for that odor. In this study, we first injected RNA extracted from sperm of male mice that underwent olfactory fear conditioning into naïve single-cell zygotes and found that adults that developed from these embryos had increased sensitivity and enhanced neuroanatomical representation for the odor (Odor A) with which the paternal male had been conditioned. Next, we found that female, but not male offspring sired by males conditioned with Odor A show enhanced consolidation of a weak single-trial Odor A + shock fear conditioning protocol. Our data provide evidence that RNA found in the paternal germline after exposure to salient sensory experiences can contribute to intergenerational influences of such experiences, and that such intergenerational influences confer an element of adaptation to the offspring. In so doing, our study of intergenerational influences of parental sensory experience adds to existing literature on intergenerational influences of parental exposures to stress and dietary manipulations and suggests that some causes (sperm RNA) and consequences (behavioral flexibility) of intergenerational influences of parental experiences may be conserved across a variety of parental experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadj S Aoued
- Division of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychiatric Disorders, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Soma Sannigrahi
- Division of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychiatric Disorders, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Sarah C Hunter
- Division of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychiatric Disorders, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Nandini Doshi
- Division of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychiatric Disorders, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Zakia S Sathi
- Division of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychiatric Disorders, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Anthony W S Chan
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia.,Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Hasse Walum
- Division of Autism and Related Disabilities, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.,Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Brian G Dias
- Division of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychiatric Disorders, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
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26
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Ribosomal DNA transcription in prefrontal pyramidal neurons is decreased in suicide. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2020; 270:859-867. [PMID: 30859295 PMCID: PMC7474709 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-019-00996-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [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: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Prefrontal cortical regions, which are crucial for the regulation of emotionally influenced behaviour, play most probably a dominant role in the pathogenesis of suicide. The study was carried out on paraffin-embedded brain tissue blocks containing specimens from the anterior cingulate cortex (dorsal and ventral parts), the orbitofrontal cortex, and the dorsolateral cortex obtained from 23 suicide completers (predominantly violent) with unknown psychiatric diagnosis and 25 non-suicidal controls. The transcriptional activity of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) as a surrogate marker of protein biosynthesis was evaluated separately in layers III and V pyramidal neurons in regions of interest (ROIs) mentioned above by the AgNOR silver staining method bilaterally. The overall statistical analysis revealed a decrease of AgNOR area suggestive of attenuated rDNA activity in suicide victims versus controls, particularly in male subjects. Further ROI-specific post-hoc analyses revealed decreases of the median AgNOR area in suicides compared to non-suicides in all 16 ROIs. However, this effect was only significant in the layer V pyramidal neurons of the right ventral anterior cingulate cortex. Our findings suggest that decreased rDNA transcription in prefrontal pyramidal neurons plays possibly an important role in suicide pathogenesis.
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Holmes L, Shutman E, Chinaka C, Deepika K, Pelaez L, Dabney KW. Aberrant Epigenomic Modulation of Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene (NR3C1) in Early Life Stress and Major Depressive Disorder Correlation: Systematic Review and Quantitative Evidence Synthesis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16214280. [PMID: 31689998 PMCID: PMC6861987 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16214280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Revised: 10/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) induced by psychological trauma, child maltreatment, maternal separation, and domestic violence predisposes to psycho-behavioral pathologies during adulthood, namely major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety, and bipolar affective disorder. While environmental data are available in illustrating this association, data remain to be established on the epigenomic underpinning of the nexus between ELS and MDD predisposition. Specifically, despite the observed aberrant epigenomic modulation of the NR3C1, a glucocorticoid receptor gene, in early social adversity and social threats in animal and human models, reliable scientific data for intervention mapping in reducing social adversity and improving human health is required. We sought to synthesize the findings of studies evaluating (a) epigenomic modulations, mainly DNA methylation resulting in MDD following ELS, (b) epigenomic modifications associated with ELS, and (c) epigenomic alterations associated with MDD. A systematic review and quantitative evidence synthesis (QES) were utilized with the random effect meta-analytic procedure. The search strategy involved both the PubMed and hand search of relevant references. Of the 1534 studies identified through electronic search, 592 studies were screened, 11 met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the QES, and 5 examined ELS and MDD; 4 studies assessed epigenomic modulation and ELS, while 2 studies examined epigenomic modulations and MDD. The dense DNA methylation of the 1F exon of the NR3C1, implying the hypermethylated region of the glucocorticoid receptor gene, was observed in the nexus between ELS and MDD, common effect size (CES) = 14.96, 95%CI, 10.06-19.85. With respect to epigenomic modulation associated with child ELS, hypermethylation was observed, CES = 23.2%, 95%CI, 8.00-38.48. In addition, marginal epigenomic alteration was indicated in MDD, where hypermethylation was associated with increased risk of MDD, CES = 2.12%, 95%CI, -0.63-4.86. Substantial evidence supports the implication of NR3C1 and environmental interaction, mainly DNA methylation, in the predisposition to MDD following ELS. This QES further supports aberrant epigenomic modulation identified in ELS as well as major depressive episodes involving dysfunctional glucocorticoid-mediated negative feedback as a result of allostatic overload. These findings recommend prospective investigation of social adversity and its predisposition to the MDD epidemic via aberrant epigenomic modulation. Such data will facilitate early intervention mapping in reducing MDD in the United States population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurens Holmes
- Nemours Healthcare System for Children, Translational Health Disparities Science Research Program, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA.
- Biological Sciences Department, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
- College of Population Health, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
| | - Emily Shutman
- Nemours Healthcare System for Children, Translational Health Disparities Science Research Program, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA.
- Biological Sciences Department, Haverford College, Haverford, PA 19041, USA.
| | - Chinacherem Chinaka
- Nemours Healthcare System for Children, Translational Health Disparities Science Research Program, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA.
- Department of public health, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA.
- Community Environmental Health Department, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA.
| | - Kerti Deepika
- Nemours Healthcare System for Children, Translational Health Disparities Science Research Program, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA.
| | - Lavisha Pelaez
- Nemours Healthcare System for Children, Translational Health Disparities Science Research Program, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA.
| | - Kirk W Dabney
- Nemours Healthcare System for Children, Translational Health Disparities Science Research Program, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA.
- Sidney Kimmel Medical School, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
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Abstract
Armed conflict regularly presents extremely adverse circumstances not only for combatants, but also for civilians. In fact, estimates from various wars over the past 70 years suggest that noncombatants comprise the majority of casualties. For survivors, war's effects are often embodied, leaving long-term effects on health and biology. Some of these effects, such as injuries and psychological trauma, are well known. Yet other effects may be subtle and may be elucidated by a developmental biological perspective. In early life, when growth rates are highest, conditions of war may have their greatest impact. Depending on local circumstances, a developing embryo, infant, or child growing in a place embroiled in armed conflict is likely to face—directly or indirectly—various stressors, including malnutrition, infectious disease, and/or psychological stress. Thus, the conditions of war and forced displacement may become embodied, getting under the skin for fundamental biological reasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick F. Clarkin
- Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts 02125-3393, USA
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Brown KM, Hui Q, Huang Y, Taylor JY, Prescott L, de Mendoza VB, Crusto C, Sun YV. Association Between Stress and Coping with DNA Methylation of Blood Pressure-Related Genes Among African American Women. CHRONIC STRESS 2019; 3. [PMID: 32395678 PMCID: PMC7213592 DOI: 10.1177/2470547019879088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background Exposure to psychosocial stress and employment of high effort coping
strategies have been identified as risk factors that may partially explain
the high prevalence of hypertension among African Americans. One biological
mechanism through which stress and coping may affect risk of hypertension is
via epigenetic modifications (e.g., DNA methylation) in blood
pressure-related genes; however, this area remains understudied in African
Americans. Methods We used data from the ongoing Intergenerational Blood Pressure Study, a
longitudinal study designed to investigate factors that contribute to
hypertension risk in African American women (n = 120) and their young
children, to investigate the association between stress overload,
problem-solving coping, avoidance coping, and social support coping with DNA
methylation in 25 candidate genes related to blood pressure. Multivariable
linear regression and multilevel modeling were used to conduct methylation
site-level and gene-level analyses, respectively. Results In site-level analyses, stress overload, problem-solving coping, social
support coping, and avoidance coping were associated with 47, 63, 66, and 61
sites, respectively, at p < 0.05. However, no associations were
statistically significant after multiple testing correction. There were also
no significant associations in gene-level analyses. Conclusions As human social epigenomics is an emerging, evolving area of research, there
is much to be learned from studies with statistically significant findings
as well as studies with null findings. Factors such as characteristics of
the social stressor, source of DNA, and synchronization of exposure and
outcome are likely important considerations as we move the field
forward.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Qin Hui
- Emory University (Atlanta, Georgia)
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30
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Agrawal P, Chung P, Heberlein U, Kent C. Enabling cell-type-specific behavioral epigenetics in Drosophila: a modified high-yield INTACT method reveals the impact of social environment on the epigenetic landscape in dopaminergic neurons. BMC Biol 2019; 17:30. [PMID: 30967153 PMCID: PMC6456965 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-019-0646-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epigenetic mechanisms play fundamental roles in brain function and behavior and stressors such as social isolation can alter animal behavior via epigenetic mechanisms. However, due to cellular heterogeneity, identifying cell-type-specific epigenetic changes in the brain is challenging. Here, we report the first use of a modified isolation of nuclei tagged in specific cell type (INTACT) method in behavioral epigenetics of Drosophila melanogaster, a method we call mini-INTACT. RESULTS Using ChIP-seq on mini-INTACT purified dopaminergic nuclei, we identified epigenetic signatures in socially isolated and socially enriched Drosophila males. Social experience altered the epigenetic landscape in clusters of genes involved in transcription and neural function. Some of these alterations could be predicted by expression changes of four transcription factors and the prevalence of their binding sites in several clusters. These transcription factors were previously identified as activity-regulated genes, and their knockdown in dopaminergic neurons reduced the effects of social experience on sleep. CONCLUSIONS Our work enables the use of Drosophila as a model for cell-type-specific behavioral epigenetics and establishes that social environment shifts the epigenetic landscape in dopaminergic neurons. Four activity-related transcription factors are required in dopaminergic neurons for the effects of social environment on sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavan Agrawal
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA.
| | - Phuong Chung
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Ulrike Heberlein
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Clement Kent
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA.
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Canada.
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Morrison FG, Miller MW, Logue MW, Assef M, Wolf EJ. DNA methylation correlates of PTSD: Recent findings and technical challenges. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 90:223-234. [PMID: 30503303 PMCID: PMC6314898 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that epigenetic factors play a critical role in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), by mediating the impact of environmental exposures to trauma on the regulation of gene expression. DNA methylation is one epigenetic process that has been highly studied in PTSD. This review will begin by providing an overview of DNA methylation (DNAm) methods, and will then highlight two major biological systems that have been identified in the epigenetic regulation in PTSD: (a) the immune system and (b) the stress response system. In addition to candidate gene approaches, we will review novel strategies to study epigenome-wide PTSD-related effects, including epigenome-wide algorithms that distill information from many loci into a single summary score (e.g., measures of "epigenetic age" which have been associated with PTSD). This review will also cover recent epigenome wide association studies (EWAS) of PTSD, and biological pathway models used to identify gene sets enriched in PTSD. Finally, we address technical and methodological advances and challenges to the field, and highlight exciting directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filomene G Morrison
- National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, USA.
| | - Mark W Miller
- National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Mark W Logue
- National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, USA; Biomedical Genetics, Boston University School of Medicine, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, USA
| | - Michele Assef
- Boston University, College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College, USA
| | - Erika J Wolf
- National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, USA
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Fiacco S, Gardini ES, Mernone L, Schick L, Ehlert U. DNA Methylation in Healthy Older Adults With a History of Childhood Adversity-Findings From the Women 40+ Healthy Aging Study. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:777. [PMID: 31708823 PMCID: PMC6819958 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Adversity in early development seems to increase the risk of stress-related somatic disorders later in life. Physiologically, functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axes is often discussed as long-term mediators of risk. In particular, DNA methylation in the glucocorticoid receptor gene promoter (NR3C1) has been associated with type and strength of early life adversity and subsequent effects on HPA axis signaling in humans. Animal studies, moreover, suggest changes in DNA methylation in the estrogen receptor gene (ERα) upon early life adversity. We investigated the association of type and severity of childhood adversity with methylation in NR3C1 and ERα and additionally considered associations between methylation and steroid hormone secretion. Methods: The percentage of methylation within the NR3C1 promoter and the ERα shore was investigated using dried blood spot samples of 103 healthy women aged 40-73 years. Childhood adversity was examined with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Linear regression analyses were performed with methylation as dependent variable and the experience of emotional abuse and neglect, physical abuse and neglect, and sexual abuse (compared to non-experience) as independent variables. All analyses were controlled for age, BMI, annual household income, and smoking status and were adjusted for multiple testing. Results: Overall, over 70% of the sample reported having experienced any kind of abuse or neglect of at least low intensity. There were no significant associations between childhood adversity and methylation in the NR3C1 promoter (all p > .10). Participants reporting emotional abuse showed significantly higher methylation in the ERα shore than those who did not (p = .001). Additionally, higher levels of adversity were associated with higher levels of ERα shore methylation (p = .001). Conclusion: In healthy women, early life adversity does not seem to result in NR3C1 promoter hypermethylation in midlife and older age. This is the first study in humans to suggest that childhood adversity might, however, epigenetically modify the ERα shore. Further studies are needed to gain a better understanding of why some individuals remain healthy and others develop psychopathologies in the face of childhood adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Fiacco
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,URPP Dynamics of Healthy Aging Research Priority Program, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Elena Silvia Gardini
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,URPP Dynamics of Healthy Aging Research Priority Program, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Laura Mernone
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,URPP Dynamics of Healthy Aging Research Priority Program, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lea Schick
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ulrike Ehlert
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,URPP Dynamics of Healthy Aging Research Priority Program, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Matrisciano F, Dong E, Nicoletti F, Guidotti A. Epigenetic Alterations in Prenatal Stress Mice as an Endophenotype Model for Schizophrenia: Role of Metabotropic Glutamate 2/3 Receptors. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:423. [PMID: 30564095 PMCID: PMC6289213 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Mice subjected to prenatal restraint stress (PRS mice) showed biochemical and behavioral abnormalities consistent with a schizophrenia-like phenotype (Matrisciano et al., 2016). PRS mice are characterized by increased DNA-methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) and ten-eleven methylcytosine dioxygenase 1 (TET1) expression levels and exhibit an enrichment of 5-methylcytosine (5MC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5HMC) at neocortical GABAergic and glutamatergic gene promoters. Activation of group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlu2 and−3 receptors) showed a potential epigenetically-induced antipsychotic activity by reversing the molecular and behavioral changes observed in PRS mice. This effect was most likely caused by the increase in the expression of growth arrest and DNA damage 45-β (Gadd45-β) protein, a molecular player of DNA demethylation, induced by the activation of mGlu2/3 receptors. This effect was mimicked by clozapine and valproate but not by haloperidol. Treatment with the selective mGlu2/3 receptors agonist LY379268 also increased the amount of Gadd45-β bound to specific promoter regions of reelin, BDNF, and GAD67. A meta-analysis of several clinical trials showed that treatment with an orthosteric mGlu2/3 receptor agonist improved both positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia, but only in patients who were early-in-disease and had not been treated with atypical antipsychotic drugs (Kinon et al., 2015). Our findings show that PRS mice are valuable model for the study of epigenetic mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and support the hypothesis that pharmacological modulation of mGlu2/3 receptors could impact the early phase of schizophrenia and related neurodevelopmental disorders by regulating epigenetic processes that lie at the core of the disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Matrisciano
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatric Institute, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Erbo Dong
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome "Sapienza", Rome, Italy.,IRCCS, Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Alessandro Guidotti
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatric Institute, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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34
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“It was there all along”: Situated uncertainty and the politics of publication in environmental epigenetics. BIOSOCIETIES 2018. [DOI: 10.1057/s41292-017-0092-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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35
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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: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [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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Holz NE, Zohsel K, Laucht M, Banaschewski T, Hohmann S, Brandeis D. Gene x environment interactions in conduct disorder: Implications for future treatments. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 91:239-258. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Revised: 07/27/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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Jiménez JP, Botto A, Herrera L, Leighton C, Rossi JL, Quevedo Y, Silva JR, Martínez F, Assar R, Salazar LA, Ortiz M, Ríos U, Barros P, Jaramillo K, Luyten P. Psychotherapy and Genetic Neuroscience: An Emerging Dialog. Front Genet 2018; 9:257. [PMID: 30065751 PMCID: PMC6056612 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research in psychiatric genetics has led to a move away from simple diathesis-stress models to more complex models of psychopathology incorporating a focus on gene–environment interactions and epigenetics. Our increased understanding of the way biology encodes the impact of life events on organisms has also generated more sophisticated theoretical models concerning the molecular processes at the interface between “nature” and “nurture.” There is also increasing consensus that psychotherapy entails a specific type of learning in the context of an emotional relationship (i.e., the therapeutic relationship) that may also lead to epigenetic modifications across different therapeutic treatment modalities. This paper provides a systematic review of this emerging body of research. It is concluded that, although the evidence is still limited at this stage, extant research does indeed suggest that psychotherapy may be associated with epigenetic changes. Furthermore, it is argued that epigenetic studies may play a key role in the identification of biomarkers implicated in vulnerability for psychopathology, and thus may improve diagnosis and open up future research opportunities regarding the mechanism of action of psychotropic drugs as well as psychotherapy. We review evidence suggesting there may be important individual differences in susceptibility to environmental input, including psychotherapy. In addition, given that there is increasing evidence for the transgenerational transmission of epigenetic modifications in animals and humans exposed to trauma and adversity, epigenetic changes produced by psychotherapy may also potentially be passed on to the next generation, which opens up new perspective for prevention science. We conclude this paper stressing the limitations of current research and by proposing a set of recommendations for future research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan P Jiménez
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health - East, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alberto Botto
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health - East, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luisa Herrera
- Human Genetics Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Caroline Leighton
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health - East, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - José L Rossi
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Yamil Quevedo
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health - East, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jaime R Silva
- Center for Attachment and Emotional Regulation (CARE), Faculty of Psychology, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Felipe Martínez
- Center for Intercultural and Indigenous Research, Anthropology Program, Institute of Sociology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Assar
- ICBM Human Genetics Program, Centre for Medical Informatics and Telemedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luis A Salazar
- Center of Molecular Biology and Pharmacogenetics, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Manuel Ortiz
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Social Sciences and Humanities, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Ulises Ríos
- Department of Psychiatry, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Paulina Barros
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health - East, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Karina Jaramillo
- Ph.D. Program in Public Health, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Patrick Luyten
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Raymond C, Marin MF, Majeur D, Lupien S. Early child adversity and psychopathology in adulthood: HPA axis and cognitive dysregulations as potential mechanisms. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 85:152-160. [PMID: 28751271 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2017] [Revised: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Early adversity (EA) has been shown to be a potent risk factor for developing a psychopathology in adulthood. Alterations of the stress system in addition to changes in brain development have been suggested to explain some of the psychopathologies associated with EA. The stress response involves the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis, which leads to the production of glucocorticoids (GCs; cortisol in humans). Being soluble in lipids, GCs easily cross the blood brain barrier and access GC receptors in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and amygdala. These three brain structures do not develop at the same rhythm in humans and recent models suggest that exposition to EA at different times throughout cerebral development can induce a differential vulnerability to diverse mental illnesses. Although these models are of interest, they do not provide any mechanism(s) through which exposition to EA could lead to an increased vulnerability to certain mental illnesses and not others. Interestingly, the main brain structures that are affected by the chronic secretion of stress hormones during childhood (hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and amygdala) are differentially involved in various cognitive functions (memory, emotion regulation, encoding of emotional memories, etc.). It is therefore proposed that exposure to EA, by affecting the development of specific brain structures, might alter the underlying cognitive process of these brain regions, and increase vulnerability to specific mental disorders in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Raymond
- Center for Studies on Human Stress, Canada; University of Montreal, Department of Neurosciences, Canada; Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Research Center, Canada
| | - Marie-France Marin
- Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Research Center, Canada; University of Montreal, Department of Psychiatry, Canada
| | - Danie Majeur
- Center for Studies on Human Stress, Canada; University of Montreal, Department of Neurosciences, Canada; Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Research Center, Canada
| | - Sonia Lupien
- Center for Studies on Human Stress, Canada; Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Research Center, Canada; University of Montreal, Department of Psychiatry, Canada.
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Frías-Lasserre D, Villagra CA, Guerrero-Bosagna C. Stress in the Educational System as a Potential Source of Epigenetic Influences on Children's Development and Behavior. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:143. [PMID: 30057532 PMCID: PMC6053942 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite current advances on the relevance of environmental cues and epigenetic mechanisms in biological processes, including behavior, little attention has been paid to the potential link between epigenetic influences and educational sciences. For instance, could the learning environment and stress determine epigenetic marking, affecting students' behavior development? Could this have consequences on educational outcomes? So far, it has been shown that environmental stress influences neurological processes and behavior both in humans and rats. Through epigenetic mechanisms, offspring from stressed individuals develop altered behavior without any exposure to traumatizing experiences. Methylated DNA and noncoding RNAs regulate neurological processes such as synaptic plasticity and brain cortex development in children. The malfunctioning of these processes is associated with several neurological disorders, and these findings open up new avenues for the design of enriched environments for education and therapy. In this article, we discuss current cases of stress and behavioral disorders found in youngsters, and highlight the importance of considering epigenetic processes affecting the development of cognitive abilities and learning within the educational environment and for the development of teaching methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Frías-Lasserre
- Instituto de Entomología, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristian A. Villagra
- Instituto de Entomología, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación, Santiago, Chile
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Translational research in psychiatry: The Research Domain Criteria Project (RDoC). REVISTA DE PSIQUIATRIA Y SALUD MENTAL 2018; 12:187-195. [PMID: 29941228 DOI: 10.1016/j.rpsm.2018.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Despite the consensus achieved in the homogenization of clinical criteria by categorical psychiatric classification systems (DEM and CIE), they are criticized for a lack of validity and inability to guide clinical treatment and research. In this review article we introduce the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework as an alternative framework for translational research in psychiatry. The RDOC framework systematizes both research targets and methodology for research in psychiatry. RDoC is based on a catalogue of neurobiological and neurocognitive evidence of behaviour, and conceives psychopathology as the phenotypic expression of alterations of functional domains that are classified into 5psychobiological systems. The RdoC framework also proposes that domains must be validated with evidence in 7levels of analysis: genes, molecules, cells, nerve circuits, physiology, behaviour and self-reports. As opposed to categorical systems focused on diagnosis, RDoC focuses on the study of psychopathology as a correlate of detectable functional, biological and behavioural disruption of normal processes. In order to build a useful psychiatric nosology for guiding clinical interventions, the RDoC research framework links the neurobiological basis of mental processes with phenotypical manifestations. Although the RDoC findings have not yet been articulated into a specific model for guiding clinical practice, they provide a useful transition system for creating clinical, basic and epidemiological research hypotheses.
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41
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Sandtorv LB, Fevang SKE, Nilsen SA, Bøe T, Gjestad R, Haugland S, Elgen IB. Symptoms Associated With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorders in School-Aged Children Prenatally Exposed to Substances. SUBSTANCE ABUSE-RESEARCH AND TREATMENT 2018; 12:1178221818765773. [PMID: 29618930 PMCID: PMC5871041 DOI: 10.1177/1178221818765773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to substances may influence a child's neurodevelopment and impact on subsequent mental health. In a hospital-based population of school-aged children prenatally exposed to opiates and a number of illicit substances (n = 57), we evaluated mental health symptoms associated with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) using the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Questionnaire, revision IV (SNAP-IV) and the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) and compared the scores to a reference group which comprised children from the population-based Bergen Child Study (n = 171). Prenatally exposed children had significantly higher SNAP-IV scores associated with ADHD symptoms in both areas of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity and also reported a higher ASSQ score related to an increased number of symptoms associated with ASD, compared with the reference group. Of tested predictors of mental health outcomes in the exposed group, the intelligence quotient was a strong predictor of most mental health outcomes, and neonatal abstinence syndrome was a predictor of inattention. In conclusion, prenatally exposed children had more mental health symptoms associated with ADHD and ASD, compared with the reference group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisbeth Beate Sandtorv
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Sondre Aasen Nilsen
- Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Uni Research Health, Bergen, Norway
| | - Tormod Bøe
- Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Uni Research Health, Bergen, Norway
| | - Rolf Gjestad
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.,Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Siren Haugland
- Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Uni Research Health, Bergen, Norway
| | - Irene Bircow Elgen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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Abstract
Once dismissed as an innocuous experience of childhood, bullying is now recognized as having significant psychological effects, particularly with chronic exposure. Victims of bullying are at risk for a number of psychiatric disturbances, and growing evidence suggests that the pathophysiological effects of bullying, as with other forms of trauma and chronic stress, create additional health risks. We review the literature on the known sequelae of bullying, including psychiatric and physiological health effects, with a focus on implications for the victim. In addition, since it is now well established that early and chronic exposure to stress has a significant negative impact on health outcomes, we explore the implications of this research in relation to bullying and victimization in childhood. In particular, we examine how aspects of the stress response, via epigenetic, inflammatory, and metabolic mediators, have the capacity to compromise mental and physical health, and to increase the risk of disease. Research on the relevant mechanisms associated with bullying and on potential interventions to decrease morbidity is urgently needed.
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43
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Morozov YE, Velenko PS. [The characteristic of protein biosynthesis in brain neurons with chronic alcohol intoxication]. Sud Med Ekspert 2018; 61:49-51. [PMID: 29405190 DOI: 10.17116/sudmed201861149-51] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the possibilities for the use of the changes in the AgNOR staining patterns in the neurons of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) for the purposes of the medical differential diagnostics of the cases of death from chronic alcohol intoxication. We elucidated the characteristics of the activity of protein biosynthesis including the number and the area of the nucleoli in the nuclei of the neurons of the individuals who had died from chronic alcohol intoxication (n=20) in comparison with the subjects of the control group (n=13). To reveal the morphological structures associated with protein biosynthesis in the nucleoli of the serotoninergic neurons of the dorsal raphe nucleus in the brain, the histological preparations were stained with the use of the silver-staining technique for nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR). The comparative statistical analysis of the results thus obtained with the calculated confidence coefficients was carried out. The aggregated analysis of all the dorsal raphe subnuclei revealed the impairment of the AgNOR staining characteristics in the neurons of the subjects who had died from chronic alcohol intoxication in comparison with those of the subjects comprising the control group. It is concluded that the results of the study can be used for differential diagnostics of deaths from chronic alcohol intoxication and other causes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu E Morozov
- Department of Forensic Medicine, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russia, Moscow, Russia, 119021
| | - P S Velenko
- Department of Forensic Medicine, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russia, Moscow, Russia, 119021
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Gemmel M, Bögi E, Ragan C, Hazlett M, Dubovicky M, van den Hove DL, Oberlander TF, Charlier TD, Pawluski JL. Perinatal selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medication (SSRI) effects on social behaviors, neurodevelopment and the epigenome. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 85:102-116. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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45
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Morozov YE, Koludarova EM, Gornostaev DV, Kuzin AN, Dorosheva ZV. [Determining the prescription of brain injuries based on the changes of the nucleolus organizer in astrocytes]. Sud Med Ekspert 2018; 61:16-18. [PMID: 30168522 DOI: 10.17116/sudmed201861416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The well apparent signs of the proliferative reaction and activity of the nucleolus organizer in astrocytes within the zone of injury and at its periphery are considered to be the indicators of the participation of these cells in all the phases of the inflammatory and reparative processes associated with the brain injury. The objective of the present study was the evaluation of the changes in the number of the nucleoli in the nuclei of astrocytes during the acute post-traumatic period following the craniocerebral injury. A total of 26 cases of death of the men and women at the age from 36 to 50 years caused by the craniocerebral trauma were available for the examination. The tissue samples were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, based on the use of the Perls' Prussian blue staining protocol or by means of the AgNOR staining technique. The astrocytes in the regions immediately adjacent to the sites of brain injury were shown to undergo areactive necrosis during the first hours after the damage had been inflicted. The evaluation of the changes in the astrocytes required taking into consideration the influence of autolysis on the character of the signs being identified. The increase of the number of points in the astrocytes in which RNA replication occurs within days 2-4 after the injury can be accounted for by the accumulation of the granules containing silver in the cell nuclei. The cross reactions between hemosiderin and RNA await further investigations. It is concluded that the methods employed in this study may be of diagnostic significance for the purposes of forensic medical histology if used in the combination with other specialized techniques for determining the prescription of the craniocerebral injuries. The combination of the morphological and functional studies opens up the promising prospects for the investigations into the necrotic and proliferative processes in astrocytes associated with brain injuries of different origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye E Morozov
- Department of Forensic Medicine, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russia, Moscow, Russia, 119021; Bureau of Forensic Medical Expertise, Moscow Health Department, Moscow, Russia, 115516
| | - E M Koludarova
- Bureau of Forensic Medical Expertise, Moscow Health Department, Moscow, Russia, 115516
| | - D V Gornostaev
- Bureau of Forensic Medical Expertise, Moscow Health Department, Moscow, Russia, 115516
| | - A N Kuzin
- Bureau of Forensic Medical Expertise, Moscow Health Department, Moscow, Russia, 115516
| | - Zh V Dorosheva
- Department of Forensic Medicine, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russia, Moscow, Russia, 119021
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46
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Renzi C, Provencal N, Bassil KC, Evers K, Kihlbom U, Radford EJ, Koupil I, Mueller-Myhsok B, Hansson MG, Rutten BP. From Epigenetic Associations to Biological and Psychosocial Explanations in Mental Health. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2018; 158:299-323. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2018.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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47
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Comasco E, Rangmar J, Eriksson UJ, Oreland L. Neurological and neuropsychological effects of low and moderate prenatal alcohol exposure. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2018; 222. [PMID: 28470828 DOI: 10.1111/apha.12892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Revised: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Several explanations for the diverse results in research on foetal alcohol spectrum disorders or alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder might be at hand: timing, amount and patterns of alcohol exposure, as well as complex epigenetic responses. The genetic background of the offspring and its interaction with other prenatal and post-natal environmental cues are likely also of importance. In the present report, key findings about the possible effects of low and moderate doses of maternal alcohol intake on the neuropsychological development of the offspring are reviewed and plausible mechanisms discussed. Special focus is put on the serotonergic system within developmental and gene-environment frameworks. The review also suggests guidelines for future studies and also summarizes some of to-be-answered questions of relevance to clinical practice. Contradictory findings and paucity of studies on the effects of exposure to low alcohol levels during foetal life for the offspring's neuropsychological development call for large prospective studies, as well as for studies including neuroimaging and multi-omics analyses to dissect the neurobiological underpinnings of alcohol exposure-related phenotypes and to identify biomarkers. Finally, it remains to be investigated whether any safe threshold of alcohol drinking during pregnancy can be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Comasco
- Department of Neuroscience; Uppsala University; Uppsala Sweden
| | - J. Rangmar
- Department of Psychology; University of Gothenburg; Gothenburg Sweden
| | - U. J. Eriksson
- Department of Medical Cell Biology; Uppsala University; Uppsala Sweden
| | - L. Oreland
- Department of Neuroscience; Uppsala University; Uppsala Sweden
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O'Callaghan EK, Green EW, Franken P, Mongrain V. Omics Approaches in Sleep-Wake Regulation. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2018; 253:59-81. [PMID: 29796779 DOI: 10.1007/164_2018_125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Although sleep seems an obvious and simple behaviour, it is extremely complex involving numerous interactions both at the neuronal and the molecular levels. While we have gained detailed insight into the molecules and neuronal networks responsible for the circadian organization of sleep and wakefulness, the molecular underpinnings of the homeostatic aspect of sleep regulation are still unknown and the focus of a considerable research effort. In the last 20 years, the development of techniques allowing the simultaneous measurement of hundreds to thousands of molecular targets (i.e. 'omics' approaches) has enabled the unbiased study of the molecular pathways regulated by and regulating sleep. In this chapter, we will review how the different omics approaches, including transcriptomics, epigenomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, have advanced sleep research. We present relevant data in the framework of the two-process model in which circadian and homeostatic processes interact to regulate sleep. The integration of the different omics levels, known as 'systems genetics', will eventually lead to a better understanding of how information flows from the genome, to molecules, to networks, and finally to sleep both in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma K O'Callaghan
- Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine and Research Center, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Edward W Green
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Paul Franken
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Valérie Mongrain
- Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine and Research Center, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada. .,Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Minimal traumatic brain injury causes persistent changes in DNA methylation at BDNF gene promoters in rat amygdala: A possible role in anxiety-like behaviors. Neurobiol Dis 2017; 106:101-109. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2017.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2016] [Revised: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
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50
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Dupras C, Williams-Jones B, Ravitsky V. Biopolitical Barriers to a Potterian Bioethics: The (Potentially) Missed Opportunity of Epigenetics. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2017; 17:15-17. [PMID: 28829261 DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2017.1353173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
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