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Anxiety and Epigenetics

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Neuroepigenomics in Aging and Disease

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((PMISB,volume 978))

Abstract

Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent psychiatric disorders often comorbid with depression and substance abuse. Twin studies have shown that anxiety disorders are moderately heritable. Yet, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have failed to identify gene(s) significantly associated with diagnosis suggesting a strong role for environmental factors and the epigenome. A number of anxiety disorder subtypes are considered “stress related.” A large focus of research has been on the epigenetic and anxiety-like behavioral consequences of stress. Animal models of anxiety-related disorders have provided strong evidence for the role of stress on the epigenetic control of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and of stress-responsive brain regions. Neuroepigenetics may continue to explain individual variation in susceptibility to environmental perturbations and consequently anxious behavior. Behavioral and pharmacological interventions aimed at targeting epigenetic marks associated with anxiety may prove fruitful in developing treatments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA, 02125, USA

    Andrew A. Bartlett, Rumani Singh Ph.D. & Richard G. Hunter Ph.D.

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  1. Andrew A. Bartlett
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  2. Rumani Singh Ph.D.
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  3. Richard G. Hunter Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Richard G. Hunter Ph.D. .

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  1. Cancer Epigenetics and Biology Program (PEBC), Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), CATALONIA, Spain

    Raul Delgado-Morales

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Bartlett, A.A., Singh, R., Hunter, R.G. (2017). Anxiety and Epigenetics. In: Delgado-Morales, R. (eds) Neuroepigenomics in Aging and Disease. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology(), vol 978. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53889-1_8

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