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Effects of negative stressors on DNA methylation in the brain: Implications for mood and anxiety disorders
Author(s) -
Hing Benjamin,
Gardner Caleb,
Potash James B.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
american journal of medical genetics part b: neuropsychiatric genetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.393
H-Index - 126
eISSN - 1552-485X
pISSN - 1552-4841
DOI - 10.1002/ajmg.b.32265
Subject(s) - epigenetics , dna methylation , histone , mood disorders , anxiety , neuroscience , psychology , mood , epigenomics , biology , genetics , gene , clinical psychology , gene expression , psychiatry
Stress is a major contributor to anxiety and mood disorders. The recent discovery of epigenetic changes in the brain resulting from stress has enhanced our understanding of the mechanism by which stress is able to promote these disorders. Although epigenetics encompasses chemical modifications that occur at both DNA and histones, much attention has been focused on stress‐induced DNA methylation changes on behavior. Here, we review the effect of stress‐induced DNA methylation changes on physiological mechanisms that govern behavior and cognition, dysregulation of which can be harmful to mental health. A literature review was performed in the areas of DNA methylation, stress, and their impact on the brain and psychiatric illness. Key findings center on genes involved in the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis, neurotransmission and neuroplasticity. Using animal models of different stress paradigms and clinical studies, we detail how DNA methylation changes to these genes can alter physiological mechanisms that influence behavior. Appropriate levels of gene expression in the brain play an important role in mental health. This dynamic control can be disrupted by stress‐induced changes to DNA methylation patterns. Advancement in other areas of epigenetics, such as histone modifications and the discovery of the novel DNA epigenetic mark, 5‐hydroxymethylcytosine, could provide additional avenues to consider when determining the epigenetic effects of stress on the brain. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.