Developmental Origin of Schizophrenia-Associated DNA MethylationOctober 30, 2014Schizophrenia is one complex disease, with a number of subtypes and an origin unknown. However, despite it’s complexity, recent evidence points toward an interaction between genes and environment that are mediated by the epigenome. Further adding to the complexity is the fact that most patients are treated with powerful antipsychotics that also remodel the epigenome in […]
Natural Disasters Impact DNA MethylationOctober 16, 2014As Polar Vortex II approaches, you’ll be interested in a recent study highlighting the impact of environment stressors on the epigenome. Prenatal maternal stress exposure is known to adversely affect offspring in a number of ways, depending on the nature of the exposure, but is typically studied in common exposures like diet, alcohol, and lead. But this has left the […]
Epigram: Predicting the Human Epigenome from DNA MotifsOctober 16, 2014There’s no denying the power of technology in our lives, whether it be your latest and greatest iPhone bending in your pocket or it be getting the technology to do something more useful, like predict the entire epigenome and how it functions in the regulation of gene expression. We’ve always loved a good tool and/or […]
Maternal Care Causes Variation in Behavior and Gene Regulation in FemalesOctober 1, 2014Life experiences shape us in ways that are hard to imagine, whether it’s a catch-phrase from a favorite TV show slipping into our vocabulary ,or how much your mother licked you while you were child (We know that sounds weird for humans, but licking just happens to be a measure of maternal care in rodents). […]
Environmental enrichment stimulates neural 5hmC dynamicsSeptember 17, 2014Judging from the luxurious lifestyles of the rich and famous, it would seem there’s no denying the wonders of an enriched environment. Even at an epigenetic scale, enhancing your environment properly and with a bit of personal restraint leads to improvements in the brain aplenty, including learning and memory. A team from Emory University characterized the […]
