Behavioral Epigenetics Research Articles

Epigenetics and its implications for Psychology.

Epigenetics is changing the widely accepted linear conception of genome function by explaining how environmental and psychological factors regulate the activity of our genome without involving changes in the DNA sequence. Research has identified epigenetic mechanisms mediating between environmental and psychological factors that contribute to normal and abnormal behavioral development. the emerging field of epigenetics as related to psychology is reviewed. the relationship between genes and behavior is reconsidered in terms of epigenetic mechanisms acting after birth and not only prenatally, as traditionally held. Behavioral epigenetics shows that our behavior could have long-term effects on the regulation of the genome function. In addition, epigenetic mechanisms would be related to psychopathology, as in the case of schizophrenia. In the latter case, it would be especially relevant to consider epigenetic factors such as life adversities (trauma, disorganized attachment, etc.) as related to its clinical manifestations, rather than genetic factors. Moreover, epigenetics implies overcoming classical dualist dichotomies such as nature-nurture, genotype-phenotype or pathogenesis-pathoplasty. In general, it can be stated that behavior and environment will finally take on a leading role in human development through epigenetic mechanisms.

Epigenetic mechanisms in the development of behavior: Advances, challenges, and future promises of a new field

In the past decade, there have been exciting advances in the field of behavioral epigenetics that have provided new insights into a biological basis of neural and behavioral effects of gene-environment interactions. It is now understood that changes in the activity of genes established through epigenetic alterations occur as a consequence of exposure to environmental adversity, social stress, and traumatic experiences. DNA methylation in particular has thus emerged as a leading candidate biological pathway linking gene-environment interactions to long-term and even multigenerational trajectories in behavioral development, including the vulnerability and resilience to psychopathology. This paper discusses what we have learned from research using animal models and from studies in which the translation of these findings has been made to humans. Studies concerning the significance of DNA methylation alterations in outcomes associated with stress exposure later in life and dysfunction in the form of neuropsychiatric disorders are highlighted, and several avenues of future research are suggested that promise to advance our understanding of epigenetics both as a mechanism by which the environment can contribute to the development of psychiatric disorders and as an avenue for more effective intervention and treatment strategies.

Behavioral Epigenetics and Attachment: The New Science of Trust and Mistrust

Behavioral Epigenetics and Attachment: The New Science of Trust and Mistrust

Early environments, glucocorticoid receptors, and behavioral epigenetics.

In 1985, a brief report published in Behavioral Neuroscience established the link between neonatal handling and concentrations of hippocampal glucocorticoid receptors (GR) in the adult rat, suggesting a neurobiological basis for the attenuated stress reactivity observed in handled versus nonhandled offspring. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Behavioral Neuroscience, this article explores the research that preceded and followed from this brief but significant publication. Changes in hippocampal GR induced by handling were determined to be the outcome of a cascade of cellular and molecular events involving thyroid hormones, serotonin turnover, and transcription factor binding to the Nr3c1 gene, leading to increased GR mRNA and protein. Though many hypotheses were proposed for the "handling effect," the role of handling-induced changes in maternal care, particularly pup licking/grooming (LG), generated a productive scientific framework for understanding the handling phenomenon. Indeed, LG has since been demonstrated to alter GR levels through the signaling pathways described for handling. Moreover, epigenetic mechanisms have been discovered to play a critical role in the effects of early life experience and particularly in the regulation of Nr3c1. Overall, the research avenues that have evolved from the initial finding of handling-induced changes in GR have broad applications to our understanding of plasticity, resilience, and the transmission of traits across generations.

Epigenetics in the nervous system: An overview of its essential role

The role that epigenetic mechanisms play in phenomena such as cellular differentiation during embryonic development, X chromosome inactivation, and cancers is well-characterized. Epigenetic mechanisms have been implicated to be the mediators of several functions in the nervous system such as in neuronal-glial differentiation, adult neurogenesis, the modulation of neural behavior and neural plasticity, and also in higher brain functions like cognition and memory. Its particular role in explaining the importance of early life/social experiences on adult behavioral patterns has caught the attention of scientists and has spawned the exciting new field of behavioral epigenetics which may hold the key to explaining many complex behavioral paradigms. Epigenetic deregulation is known to be central in the etiology of several neuropsychiatric disorders which underscore the importance of understanding these mechanisms more thoroughly to elucidate novel and effective therapeutic approaches. In this review we present an overview of the findings which point to the essential role played by epigenetics in the vertebrate nervous system.

On the difficulty in getting out of historical ruts: Waddington and an argument for behavioral epigenetics

In the early days of evolutionary theory, biologists studied development to discover phylogenetic connections among species through embryological similarities, and psychologists such as James Mark Baldwin and Sigmund Freud constructed theories that combined evolution with social, cognitive, and emotional development. But after the fall of Lamarckian and recapitulation theories, Mendelian population genetics focused on direct correlations between genes and adult characteristics to the exclusion of embryology and the ontogeny of phenotypes. Psychologists followed suit, and began to search for genes “for” psychological characteristics, a reductionist tendency that continues to this day. But C.H. Waddington's sophisticated theories of epigenesis provide a way to reintegrate development with genetics along with a more cohesive description of gene-environment linkages. This paper examines how history has canalized thought about genes in psychology, and provides examples of current research to show the way out of such conceptual ruts.

A Steep Learning Curve: Decoding Epigenetic Influence on Behavior and Mental Health

Research on epigenetics has surged in the past two decades as it has become apparent that changes in gene function aside from those related to DNA mutations or natural variations may be integral factors in numerous perplexing health disorders. But much remains unknown about this relatively new field. Of the thousands of epigenetics studies published,1 a few hundred have addressed behavioral and mental health outcomes, but only a fraction of those have dealt with fetal or childhood exposures or outcomes. However, early results in the niche field of behavioral epigenetics suggest such studies could provide insights into behavioral and mental health conditions such as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety.

A place for behavior in ecological epigenetics

A place for behavior in ecological epigenetics

Epigenetics for behavioral ecologists

Environmentally dependent behavioral variation may play a critical role in several ecological and evolutionary phenomena, in particular, rapid adaptation to novel and changing environments. Although it is clear that the expression and inheritance of environmentally dependent animal behaviors can be mediated by epigenetic mechanisms—factors that influence gene expression without modifying the DNA sequence, per se—our understanding of epigenetic processes underlying behavioral variation in natural populations is limited. This is, in part, due to the difficult nature of characterizing epigenetic mechanisms and processes in genetically heterogeneous populations that experience variable environments. In this review, we first highlight the advances that have been made toward understanding molecular epigenetic mechanisms underlying behavioral variation, and their potential role in ecological and evolutionary processes. We then propose approaches and systems that will be amenable to the study of behavioral epigenetics in natural populations. Although well-executed studies in this emerging field will be challenging and few, they have the potential to shed new light on several outstanding ecological and evolutionary questions. Key wor ds: DN A methylation, environmental variation, inheritance, maternal effects, rapid evolution, transgenerational. [Behav Ecol]

Epigenetics: Stress and Behavior

Possible mechanisms of the effects exerted by stress (in the broad sense of the term) on the human genome and manifested in modifications of behavior are described in this review. Behavioral epigenetics opens new prospects for interpretation of the evolution of behavior induced by changes in living conditions. Epigenetic labels (imprints, methylation of DNA and/or covalent modifications of histones) appear under the influence of actual stress environmental influences, including social interactions. The appearance of such labels is not random; it is determined contextually and leads to behavioral disorders that can be transmitted through future generations. Stress phenomena of modern life, which are psychosocial in their nature, realize their effects via quite definite biological mechanisms. Epigenetic modifications are the most probable candidates for the role of relatively fast genetic mechanisms determining changes in behavior and mental health of great contingents of individuals living under contemporary conditions of ever-increasing stress loading.

Behavioral epigenetics in ecological context

In their review, Ledon-Rettig, Richards and Martin (hence forth LRM) discuss the relations between the fast-developing research in behavioral epigenetics and ecology, outlining a framework for epigenetic ecology in animals. Their approach has its roots in an epigenetic psychological perspective that began in the 20th century with the work of the great developmental psychologist, Jean Piaget, who used the epigenetic terminology and ideas of Conrad Waddington to explain some aspects of human behavioral development, and to argue for the central role of behavior in animal evolution (e.g., Piaget 1978). Later, behavioral development and epigenetics also became central to the work of a few eminent behavioral ecologists and ethologists: the British biologist Patrick Bateson has been arguing for the importance of learning in animal evolution for many years, and was one of the first to integrate transgenerational epigenetic inheritance into his research (Curley et al 2008); in the USA, the developmental psychobiologist, Gilbert Gottlieb, was a major proponent of the epigenetic view (Gottlieb 1992). Both Bateson and Gottlieb drew attention to the relationship between flexibility of adaptive behavior and flexible epigenetic molecular mechanisms, highlighting the evolutionary implications of their epigenetic perspective. As LRM show, there is growing evidence relating epigenetic changes in the nervous system with persistent ecologically-relevant behaviors, and they explore some of the major implications of these relations. I would like to suggest 2 additional systems that might be useful for studying epigenetic behavioral ecology: first, studies of animal domestication, and second, studies of the epigenetic correlates of the cultural transmission of behaviors in wild populations.

Behavioral epigenetics and the developmental origins of child mental health disorders

Advances in understanding the molecular basis of behavior through epigenetic mechanisms could help explain the developmental origins of child mental health disorders. However, the application of epigenetic principles to the study of human behavior is a relatively new endeavor. In this paper we discuss the 'Developmental Origins of Health and Disease' including the role of fetal programming. We then review epigenetic principles related to fetal programming and the recent application of epigenetics to behavior. We focus on the neuroendocrine system and develop a simple heuristic stress-related model to illustrate how epigenetic changes in placental genes could predispose the infant to neurobehavioral profiles that interact with postnatal environmental factors potentially leading to mental health disorders. We then discuss from an 'Evo-Devo' perspective how some of these behaviors could also be adaptive. We suggest how elucidation of these mechanisms can help to better define risk and protective factors and populations at risk.

Environment, Developmental Origins, and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Environment, Developmental Origins, and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Methylation Matters in Child Development: Toward Developmental Behavioral Epigenetics

Abstract— Child development might be conceptualized as experiences becoming sculpted in the organism’s DNA through methylation, one of the major epigenetic mechanisms of change. This article introduces some of the basic biological mechanisms of methylation, discusses research on animal models, and highlights some of the most impressive methylation studies on human development. Although assessment of methylation levels still is under debate, saliva-derived methylation might tremendously enhance the opportunities for noninvasive epigenetic studies on child development. It seems worthwhile to add methylation to the G × E equation to fully appreciate the effects of the environment on child and adult functioning.

Behavioral Epigenetics: How Nurture Shapes Nature

Identical twins have the same genes. Yet as individuals, they can be quite unalike in behavior, in personality, in health, and even in appearance, and they tend to grow more different as they age. How can genes that seem to be identical produce such different effects? A big part of the answer, scientists now think, is epigenetics—how nurture shapes nature. Epigenetic mechanisms are molecular events that govern the way the environment regulates the genomes of organisms. Epigenetic processes lead to individual differences in appearance, physiology, cognition, and behavior—the group of traits known as the phenotype. Scientists are at the very earliest stages of investigating them. The goal is to pry open one of nature’s most challenging black boxes: explaining how life experiences are transmuted into persistent changes in body function and behavior. In its brief history, epigenetics research has concentrated mostly on the early development of organisms. One strain of these investigations is development of behavior, and this line of research now has its own name: Behavioral epigenetics refers to the study of how signals from the environment trigger molecular biological changes that modify what goes on in brain cells. Here, the term environment mechanisms of memory—changes driven by experience—in the adult nervous system. “It’s not just that development and behavioral memory are rough analogs of each other, but rather that they are molecular homologues of each other,” he says. The two most studied epigenetic processes— regulation of the structure of threedimensional DNA and its associated proteins, plus chemical adjustments to DNA through mechanisms like histone modification—are essential both in development and in long-term memory formation. “It’s as if evolution has been efficient in the set of molecular mechanisms that cells use to trigger persisting changes. It uses those mechanisms in development when it’s patterning the organism, when it’s turning an embryonic stem cell into a neuron or a liver cell,” he says. “Then in the adult nervous system it has coopted some of those same mechanisms to trigger experience-dependent, persisting change in the function of neurons in the nervous system.” Several studies have established that both DNA methylation and histone modifications are essential for learning and remembering. Some examples are based on fear conditioning, in which mice learn to show fear of a particular location where they have been subjected to electric shocks. encompasses pretty much everything that happens in every stage of life: social experience; nutrition; hormones; and toxicological exposures that occur prenatally, postnatally, and in adulthood. If research on epigenetics is in its infancy, research on behavioral epigenetics is in embryo. Despite its embryonic state, behavioral epigenetics is already a vast topic, rife with complexities that grow more intricate every day. Discoveries seem to lead not to illumination but to more questions, and we have space here to touch on barely a few. Yet behavioral epigenetics has been held out as promising to elucidate, and perhaps even solve, immense medical troubles, such as mental retardation, autism, schizophrenia, and neurodegenerative disorders, and even social challenges, such as aging, addiction, suicide, child abuse, and child neglect.

Behavioral epigenetics

Sponsored by the New York Academy of Sciences, the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and the University of Massachusetts Boston, "Behavioral Epigenetics" was held on October 29-30, 2010 at the University of Massachusetts Boston Campus Center, Boston, Massachusetts. This meeting featured speakers and panel discussions exploring the emerging field of behavioral epigenetics, from basic biochemical and cellular mechanisms to the epigenetic modulation of normative development, developmental disorders, and psychopathology. This report provides an overview of the research presented by leading scientists and lively discussion about the future of investigation at the behavioral epigenetic level.

Born scared: how we pass on fear to our children

We have long known that troubled parents tend to have troubled children – behavioural epigenetics is telling us why

Complexity at large

Complexity at large

Science Podcast

The show includes genetic signatures of long life, concerns about synthetic biology, behavioral epigenetics, and more.

The Seductive Allure of Behavioral Epigenetics

Could chemical changes to DNA underlie some of society's more vexing problems? Or is this hot new field getting ahead of itself?