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Annual Research Review: DNA methylation as a mediator in the association between risk exposure and child and adolescent psychopathology
Author(s) -
Barker Edward D.,
Walton Esther,
Cecil Charlotte A.M.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/jcpp.12782
Subject(s) - dnam , psychopathology , psychology , twin study , vulnerability (computing) , child psychopathology , developmental psychopathology , dna methylation , clinical psychology , association (psychology) , offspring , developmental psychology , pregnancy , genetics , biology , gene expression , gene , psychotherapist , computer security , heritability , computer science
Background DNA methylation (DNAm) is a potential mechanism for propagating the effects of environmental exposures on child and adolescent mental health. In recent years, this field has experienced steady growth. Methods We provide a strategic review of the current child and adolescent literature to evaluate evidence for a mediating role of DNAm in the link between environmental risks and psychopathological outcomes, with a focus on internalising and externalising difficulties. Results Based on the studies presented, we conclude that there is preliminary evidence to support that (a) environmental factors, such as diet, neurotoxic exposures and stress, influence offspring DNAm, and that (b) variability in DNAm, in turn, is associated with child and adolescent psychopathology. Overall, very few studies have examined DNAm in relation to both exposures and outcomes, and almost all analyses have been correlational in nature. Conclusions DNAm holds potential as a biomarker indexing both environmental risk exposure and vulnerability for child psychopathology. However, the extent to which it may represent a causal mediator is not clear. In future, collection of prospective risk exposure, DNAm and outcomes – as well as functional characterisation of epigenetic findings – will assist in determining the role of DNAm in the link between risk exposure and psychopathology.