title: The role of epigenetics in depression and suicide: A platform for gene-environment interactions.
abstract: Epigenetics involves functional modifications of genes. The aim of this paper is to explore if an association exists between epigenetics and depression and/or suicide. MedLine/PubMed searches were performed using both Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) and Non-MeSH terms. Based on pre-specified terms and inclusion criteria, sixteen studies met inclusion criteria by the 3 independent reviewers. Epigenetic changes seem to be important in both depression and suicide. All of the studies reviewed herein found significant epigenetic changes associated with depression and suicide except for two. Several studies showed that hypermethylation of BDNF is involved in suicide. TrkB hypermethylation was also shown to be associated with suicide by several studies, specifically in Brodmann's Areas (BA) 8 and 9. Future research is needed in a larger sample to further characterize these changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Health Behavior, The Medical College of Georgia, at Georgia Regents University, USA.
authors.forename: Laura E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Lockwood
authors.affiliation: Georgia Prevention Institute, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, USA.
authors.forename: Shaoyong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Health Behavior, The Medical College of Georgia, at Georgia Regents University, USA; Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA, USA. Electronic address: nyoussef@gru.edu.
authors.forename: Nagy A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Youssef
mesh_terms: D019175:DNA Methylation; D003863:Depression / Q000235:genetics*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000235:genetics*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D020813:Receptor, trkB / Q000378:metabolism; D013405:Suicide
chemical_list: D020813:Receptor, trkB
keywords: Depression; Epigenetics; Genes; Gene–environment interactions; Methylation of genes; Suicidality; Suicide