TY - JOUR
T1 - Epigenetics
T2 - A missing link between early life stress and depression
AU - Juruena, Mario F
AU - Gadelrab, Romayne
AU - Cleare, Anthony J
AU - Young, Allan H
N1 - Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/12/28
Y1 - 2020/12/28
N2 - Research has suggested a relationship between early life stress, and depression in particular longer episodes of depression with treatment resistant outcomes. However, the underlying mechanisms for this association remain poorly understood. Molecular studies indicate that, in general, the hereditary character of psychiatric disorders are polygenic, multifactorial and highly complex, with innumerable low-effect genetic variants interacting with each other. In addition, the importance of the environment and its interaction with genes has pointed to a fundamental role of epigenetic mechanisms in psychiatric disorders, such as methylation of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), alterations, histone actions and regulation of gene expression by non-coding ribonucleic acids (RNAs). This article provides an overview of the interplay of epigenetics, the HPA axis, early life stress and the development of depression. Advances in our knowledge of epigenetics in the context of early life stress and depression provide a new understanding of the genetic influence on psychopathology and could lead to the identification of new targets for clinical intervention.
AB - Research has suggested a relationship between early life stress, and depression in particular longer episodes of depression with treatment resistant outcomes. However, the underlying mechanisms for this association remain poorly understood. Molecular studies indicate that, in general, the hereditary character of psychiatric disorders are polygenic, multifactorial and highly complex, with innumerable low-effect genetic variants interacting with each other. In addition, the importance of the environment and its interaction with genes has pointed to a fundamental role of epigenetic mechanisms in psychiatric disorders, such as methylation of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), alterations, histone actions and regulation of gene expression by non-coding ribonucleic acids (RNAs). This article provides an overview of the interplay of epigenetics, the HPA axis, early life stress and the development of depression. Advances in our knowledge of epigenetics in the context of early life stress and depression provide a new understanding of the genetic influence on psychopathology and could lead to the identification of new targets for clinical intervention.
U2 - 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110231
DO - 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110231
M3 - Review article
C2 - 33383101
SN - 0278-5846
VL - 109
SP - 110231
JO - Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry
JF - Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry
ER -