Childhood adverse events and BDNF promoter methylation in later-life
Studies have shown that the effects of early-life stress and trauma can be enduring, with long-term negative effects on health. Epigenetics, including DNA methylation, have been implicated as a potential mechanism for these effects. Brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) is a neurotransmitter invol...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1108485/full |
| _version_ | 1797895398200705024 |
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| author | Aoshuang Zhou Marie-Laure Ancelin Karen Ritchie Joanne Ryan |
| author_facet | Aoshuang Zhou Marie-Laure Ancelin Karen Ritchie Joanne Ryan |
| author_sort | Aoshuang Zhou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Studies have shown that the effects of early-life stress and trauma can be enduring, with long-term negative effects on health. Epigenetics, including DNA methylation, have been implicated as a potential mechanism for these effects. Brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) is a neurotransmitter involved in learning and memory, and altered BDNF promoter methylation measured in peripheral tissue has been found with early-life stress. However, whether such methylation differences remain stable into later life, is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the association between childhood adversity and BDNF promoter methylation in adults aged 65 years and over. Data came from a large study of older community-dwelling individuals in France (ESPRIT). Information on three major childhood adverse events, namely abuse/maltreatment, war/natural disaster, and financial difficulties/poverty, was obtained by retrospective reporting from participants of ESPRIT study. BDNF promoter I and IV methylation was assessed in blood and buccal tissue. Linear regression analysis was performed, adjusting for age, sex, education, depression, and morbidity. Among 927 participants, there was no strong evidence that childhood abuse/maltreatment or financial difficulties/poverty were associated with BDNF methylation in older individuals. For war/natural disaster, differential methylation at four of twenty-nine CpG sites was observed, however, these would not have remained significant after correction for multiple testing. Together, these findings do not support a long-term association between adverse childhood events and BDNF methylation in older age, but further large prospective studies are needed, which do not target specific genes, but consider DNA methylation across the genome. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T07:24:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3ba8f00dba0b4f53a92db748fdfe9682 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T07:24:55Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-3ba8f00dba0b4f53a92db748fdfe96822023-02-24T07:35:37ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402023-02-011410.3389/fpsyt.2023.11084851108485Childhood adverse events and BDNF promoter methylation in later-lifeAoshuang Zhou0Marie-Laure Ancelin1Karen Ritchie2Joanne Ryan3Division of Epidemiology, Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaInstitute for Neurosciences of Montpellier, University of Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier, FranceInstitute for Neurosciences of Montpellier, University of Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier, FranceSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaStudies have shown that the effects of early-life stress and trauma can be enduring, with long-term negative effects on health. Epigenetics, including DNA methylation, have been implicated as a potential mechanism for these effects. Brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) is a neurotransmitter involved in learning and memory, and altered BDNF promoter methylation measured in peripheral tissue has been found with early-life stress. However, whether such methylation differences remain stable into later life, is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the association between childhood adversity and BDNF promoter methylation in adults aged 65 years and over. Data came from a large study of older community-dwelling individuals in France (ESPRIT). Information on three major childhood adverse events, namely abuse/maltreatment, war/natural disaster, and financial difficulties/poverty, was obtained by retrospective reporting from participants of ESPRIT study. BDNF promoter I and IV methylation was assessed in blood and buccal tissue. Linear regression analysis was performed, adjusting for age, sex, education, depression, and morbidity. Among 927 participants, there was no strong evidence that childhood abuse/maltreatment or financial difficulties/poverty were associated with BDNF methylation in older individuals. For war/natural disaster, differential methylation at four of twenty-nine CpG sites was observed, however, these would not have remained significant after correction for multiple testing. Together, these findings do not support a long-term association between adverse childhood events and BDNF methylation in older age, but further large prospective studies are needed, which do not target specific genes, but consider DNA methylation across the genome.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1108485/fullBDNFearly-life adversitiesstressbloodDNA methylationepigenetics |
| spellingShingle | Aoshuang Zhou Marie-Laure Ancelin Karen Ritchie Joanne Ryan Childhood adverse events and BDNF promoter methylation in later-life Frontiers in Psychiatry BDNF early-life adversities stress blood DNA methylation epigenetics |
| title | Childhood adverse events and BDNF promoter methylation in later-life |
| title_full | Childhood adverse events and BDNF promoter methylation in later-life |
| title_fullStr | Childhood adverse events and BDNF promoter methylation in later-life |
| title_full_unstemmed | Childhood adverse events and BDNF promoter methylation in later-life |
| title_short | Childhood adverse events and BDNF promoter methylation in later-life |
| title_sort | childhood adverse events and bdnf promoter methylation in later life |
| topic | BDNF early-life adversities stress blood DNA methylation epigenetics |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1108485/full |
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