Epigenetics of Stress, Addiction, and Resilience: Therapeutic Implications.

Jean Lud Cadet

doi:10.1007/s12035-014-9040-y

Abstract

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are highly prevalent. SUDs involve vicious cycles of binges followed by occasional periods of abstinence with recurrent relapses despite treatment and adverse medical and psychosocial consequences. There is convincing evidence that early and adult stressful life events are risks factors for the development of addiction and serve as cues that trigger relapses. Nevertheless, the fact that not all individuals who face traumatic events develop addiction to licit or illicit drugs suggests the existence of individual and/or familial resilient factors that protect these mentally healthy individuals. Here, I give a brief overview of the epigenetic bases of responses to stressful events and of epigenetic changes associated with the administration of drugs of abuse. I also discuss the psychobiology of resilience and alterations in epigenetic markers that have been observed in models of resilience. Finally, I suggest the possibility that treatment of addiction should involve cognitive and pharmacological approaches that enhance resilience in at risk individuals. Similar approaches should also be used with patients who have already succumbed to the nefarious effects of addictive substances.

Highlights

Stressful life events are important risk factors for the development of neuropsychiatric disorders that includeMol Neurobiol (2016) 53:545–560 affective disorders and addiction to food and illicit substances [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]
Some patients who are addicted to psychostimulants including cocaine and methamphetamine suffer from cognitive decrements that might impact their activities of daily living [16,17,18]
Given the fact that overwhelming stressful events can be associated with some cognitive deficits [19, 20], it is not farfetched to suggest that repeated life events in addicted individuals might compound the adverse consequences of their illicit drugs of choice

Summary

Introduction

Stressful life events are important risk factors for the development of neuropsychiatric disorders that includeMol Neurobiol (2016) 53:545–560 affective disorders and addiction to food and illicit substances [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]. It needs to be pointed out that H3K14 acetylation is mediated, in part, by CBP [89], a histone acetyltransferase that plays an important role in the regulation of psychostimulant-induced behaviors and gene expression in the brain [90, 91].

Results

Conclusion