In this issue of Epigenetics

摘要

Epidemiologic research has shown that the risk of developing mental disorders is higher among people living in urban versus rural areas. However, the mechanism by which specific conditions of the urban environment contribute to psycho-pathology is unclear. In an enlightening Point-of-View article, Galea et al. propose that DNA methylation may be the link between environment and mental disorders. Opportunities to prevent or ameliorate the adverse impact of urban environment on human health could come by the hand of epigenetic drugs capable of reversing these epigenetic changes.