A promising era for epigenetic research: revealing the molecular signature of neuropsychiatric disorders

摘要

This is an exciting moment for the field of epigenetics. The idea that epigenetic changes could serve as biomarkers of disease detection, prognosis, and treatment response has been recently boosted in many health-related fields, including neuropsychiatry. Epigenetic mechanisms have traditionally been defined as molecular processes associated with cell lineage specification, particularly during early development. In recent decades, this definition has expanded with the recognition that a variety of these processes are also dynamic and can integrate intrinsic and extrinsic signals into the genome, which in turn facilitates an organism’s adaptation to its environment through sustained changes in gene expression. Epigenetic mechanisms, including the repertoire of DNA, histone and chromatin modifications, as well as the role of non-coding RNAs and DNA/RNA editing, might be rapid and long-lasting, providing fine-tuned regulation of experience-induced gene expression.