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Integrated Functional Imaging and Genetics in Depression and Anxiety

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2020

T. Frodl
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
M. Szyf
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
A. Carballedo
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
M. Gill
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
L. Booij
Affiliation:
Psychology and Psychiatry, Quuen's University Kingston, Kingston, Canada

Abstract

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Introduction

Depression and anxiety disorders show a high comorbidity based on common pathophysiological mechanisms. Childhood environmental and life stressors are leading factors in both disorders and result in stable changes of genetic expression mediated by epigenetics, which has been found to impact in the transcription of genes, influence neurogenesis, neuroplasticity and neuronal connectivity.

Aims

To provide an overview about functional neuroimaging genetics in MDD and anxiety disorders.

Methods

Functional MRI, epigenetic and genetic information was obtained in a cohort of patients with MDD with high and low levels of anxiety and healthy controls. Associations between methylation of SLC6A4, genetic variants and brain function and connectivity was analysed.

Results

Higher methylation of SLC6A4 gene was associated with higher BOLD response during emotion processing and lower BOLD response during higher order cognitive processes. Specific asociation with anxiety and depression are further analysed.

Conclusions

Our study provides further support to the hypothesis that particular DNA methylation states that are associated with brain function during emotion processing are detectable in the periphery. The influence of anxiety or depression on this association is discussed.

Type
Article: 0119
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2015
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