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Blood DNA methylation as a potential biomarker of dementia: A systematic review
Author(s) -
Fransquet Peter D.,
Lacaze Paul,
Saffery Richard,
McNeil John,
Woods Robyn,
Ryan Joanne
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2017.10.002
Subject(s) - epigenetics , dementia , biomarker , dna methylation , medicine , disease , asymptomatic , bioinformatics , methylation , population , oncology , biology , genetics , dna , environmental health , gene , gene expression
Dementia is a major public health issue with rising prevalence rates, but many individuals remain undiagnosed. Accurate and timely diagnosis is key for the optimal targeting of interventions. A noninvasive, easily measurable peripheral biomarker would have greatest utility in population‐wide diagnostic screening. Epigenetics, including DNA methylation, is implicated in dementia; however, it is unclear whether epigenetic changes can be detected in peripheral tissue. This study aimed to systematically review the evidence for an association between dementia and peripheral DNA methylation. Forty‐eight studies that measured DNA methylation in peripheral blood were identified, and 67% reported significant associations with dementia. However, most studies were underpowered and limited by their case‐control design. We emphasize the need for future longitudinal studies on large well‐characterized populations, measuring epigenetic patterns in asymptomatic individuals. A biomarker detectable in the preclinical stages of the disease would have the greatest utility in future intervention and treatment trials.