Epigenomics
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Epigenetic dysregulation has been associated with cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. The present study investigated associations between common SNPs in genes regulating DNA methylation and age-related changes in cognitive decline in two independent prospective cohorts of patients suffering from mild cognitive impairment. An association between the rs1187120 SNP in DNMT3A and annual decline in cognitive functioning was discovered and replicated, suggesting that DNMT3A moderates cognitive decline in subjects with mild cognitive impairment.
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Review
The lasting legacy of social stress on the epigenome of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
Social stress is a major factor contributing to early-life adversity that has taken on an epidemic scale. Early social stress leads to long-lasting changes in behavior, cognition, mood and neuroendocrine responses predisposing to or sheltering from stress-related diseases later in life. ⋯ Thereby, social stress-induced DNA memories mirror the complexity of the stress response and sex differences in brain epigenetics. Timely therapeutic interventions should aim to attenuate early social stress-derived DNA markings and their life-long consequences for mental health.