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Epigenetic Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Autism and Schizophrenia
Author(s) -
Moos Walter H.,
Maneta Eleni,
Pinkert Carl A.,
Irwin Michael H.,
Hoffman Michelle E.,
Faller Douglas V.,
Steliou Kosta
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
drug development research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.582
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1098-2299
pISSN - 0272-4391
DOI - 10.1002/ddr.21295
Subject(s) - schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , epigenetics , histone deacetylase , neuroscience , context (archaeology) , neuroprotection , autism , medicine , disease , bioinformatics , histone , psychiatry , biology , gene , genetics , paleontology
Preclinical ResearchNeuropsychiatric disorders are a heterogeneous group of conditions that often share underlying mitochondrial dysfunction and biological pathways implicated in their pathogenesis, progression, and treatment. To date, these disorders have proven notoriously resistant to molecular‐targeted therapies, and clinical options are relegated to interventional types, which do not address the core symptoms of the disease. In this review, we discuss emerging epigenetic‐driven approaches using novel acylcarnitine esters (carnitinoids) that act on master regulators of antioxidant and cytoprotective genes and mitophagic pathways. These carnitinoids are actively transported, mitochondria‐localizing, biomimetic coenzyme A surrogates of short‐chain fatty acids, which inhibit histone deacetylase and may reinvigorate synaptic plasticity and protect against neuronal damage. We outline these neuroprotective effects in the context of treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. Drug Dev Res 77 : 53–72, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.