Epigenetics and depression: return of the repressed.
Authors
Dalton, Victoria S
Kolshus, Erik
McLoughlin, Declan M
Issue Date
2013-10-25
Type
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review
Language
en
Keywords
DNA methylation , Depression , Epigenetics , Histone modification , microRNA
Alternative Title
Abstract
Epigenetics has recently emerged as a potential mechanism by which adverse environmental stimuli can result in persistent changes in gene expression. Epigenetic mechanisms function alongside the DNA sequence to modulate gene expression and ultimately influence protein production. The current review provides an introduction and overview of epigenetics with a particular focus on preclinical and clinical studies relevant to major depressive disorder (MDD).
PubMed and Web of Science databases were interrogated from January 1995 up to December 2012 using combinations of search terms, including "epigenetic", "microRNA" and "DNA methylation" cross referenced with "depression", "early life stress" and "antidepressant".
There is an association between adverse environmental stimuli, such as early life stress, and epigenetic modification of gene expression. Epigenetic changes have been reported in humans with MDD and may serve as biomarkers to improve diagnosis. Antidepressant treatments appear to reverse or initiate compensatory epigenetic alterations that may be relevant to their mechanism of action.
As a narrative review, the current report was interpretive and qualitative in nature.
Epigenetic modification of gene expression provides a mechanism for understanding the link between long-term effects of adverse life events and the changes in gene expression that are associated with depression. Although still a developing field, in the future, epigenetic modifications of gene expression may provide novel biomarkers to predict future susceptibility and/or onset of MDD, improve diagnosis, and aid in the development of epigenetics-based therapies for depression.
PubMed and Web of Science databases were interrogated from January 1995 up to December 2012 using combinations of search terms, including "epigenetic", "microRNA" and "DNA methylation" cross referenced with "depression", "early life stress" and "antidepressant".
There is an association between adverse environmental stimuli, such as early life stress, and epigenetic modification of gene expression. Epigenetic changes have been reported in humans with MDD and may serve as biomarkers to improve diagnosis. Antidepressant treatments appear to reverse or initiate compensatory epigenetic alterations that may be relevant to their mechanism of action.
As a narrative review, the current report was interpretive and qualitative in nature.
Epigenetic modification of gene expression provides a mechanism for understanding the link between long-term effects of adverse life events and the changes in gene expression that are associated with depression. Although still a developing field, in the future, epigenetic modifications of gene expression may provide novel biomarkers to predict future susceptibility and/or onset of MDD, improve diagnosis, and aid in the development of epigenetics-based therapies for depression.
Description
Citation
Dalton, V. S., Kolshus, E., & McLoughlin, D. M. (2014). Epigenetics and depression: return of the repressed. Journal of affective disorders, 155, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2013.10.028
Publisher
License
© 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.
Journal
Journal of affective disorders
Volume
155
Issue
PubMed ID
ISSN
1573-2517