Revealing the biological basis of mental illness: epigenetic research as a new direction in diagnosis and treatment

Summary. Mental disorders are clinically heterogeneous chronic diseases resulting from complex interactions between genotype variants and environmental factors. Epigenetic processes, such as DNA methylation and post-translational histone modification, determine the interpretation by the body at the...

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Main Authors: S. E. Khalchitsky, M. V. Ivanov, M. V. Sogoyan, M. G. Yanushko, M. A. Tumova, L. M. Muslimova, V. V. Stanovaya, J. V. Khutoryanskaya, S. V. Vissarionov
Format: Article
Language:Russian
Published: Federal State Budget Scientific Institution National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology n.a. V.M. Bekhterev Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation 2021-10-01
Series:Обозрение психиатрии и медицинской психологии имени В.М. Бехтерева
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Online Access:https://www.bekhterevreview.com/jour/article/view/582
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author S. E. Khalchitsky
M. V. Ivanov
M. V. Sogoyan
M. G. Yanushko
M. A. Tumova
L. M. Muslimova
V. V. Stanovaya
J. V. Khutoryanskaya
S. V. Vissarionov
author_facet S. E. Khalchitsky
M. V. Ivanov
M. V. Sogoyan
M. G. Yanushko
M. A. Tumova
L. M. Muslimova
V. V. Stanovaya
J. V. Khutoryanskaya
S. V. Vissarionov
author_sort S. E. Khalchitsky
collection DOAJ
description Summary. Mental disorders are clinically heterogeneous chronic diseases resulting from complex interactions between genotype variants and environmental factors. Epigenetic processes, such as DNA methylation and post-translational histone modification, determine the interpretation by the body at the cellular and tissue levels of various environmental factors. Given that epigenetic modifications are environmentally sensitive, stable and reversible, epigenetic research in psychiatry may be a promising approach to better understanding and treating mental illness. This review discusses the clinical opportunities and challenges posed by epigenetic research in psychiatry. Using individual examples, the main conclusions are drawn that confirm the role of adverse life events, alone or in combination with genetic risk, in the epigenetic programming of neuropsychiatric systems. Further epigenetic studies show encouraging results in the use of methylation changes as diagnostic markers of disease manifestations and provide predictive tools for assessing progression and response to treatment. The potential for the use of targeted epigenetic pharmacotherapy, combined with psychosocial methods, in the context of the personalized medicine of the future in psychiatry is discussed next. It concludes with a discussion of methodological limitations that can make it difficult to interpret epigenetic data in psychiatry. They mainly arise due to the heterogeneity of individuals, both at the level of the whole organism and at the level of tissues, and require new strategies to better assess the biological significance of epigenetic data and their translational use in psychiatry. Overall, we believe that epigenetics can provide new insights and a more comprehensive understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of mental illness, and should ultimately improve the nosology, treatment and prevention of mental disorders.
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language Russian
publishDate 2021-10-01
publisher Federal State Budget Scientific Institution National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology n.a. V.M. Bekhterev Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation
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series Обозрение психиатрии и медицинской психологии имени В.М. Бехтерева
spelling doaj-art-1fdc684c855543c8a3c2ac368bafdfba2025-08-20T03:42:06ZrusFederal State Budget Scientific Institution National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology n.a. V.M. Bekhterev Ministry of Health of the Russian FederationОбозрение психиатрии и медицинской психологии имени В.М. Бехтерева2313-70532713-055X2021-10-01553193110.31363/2313-7053-2021-56-3-19-31406Revealing the biological basis of mental illness: epigenetic research as a new direction in diagnosis and treatmentS. E. Khalchitsky0M. V. Ivanov1M. V. Sogoyan2M. G. Yanushko3M. A. Tumova4L. M. Muslimova5V. V. Stanovaya6J. V. Khutoryanskaya7S. V. Vissarionov8H. Turner National Medical Research Center for Сhildren’s Orthopedics and Trauma SurgeryV.M. Bekhterev national research medical center for psychiatry and neurology1H. Turner National Medical Research Center for Сhildren’s Orthopedics and Trauma SurgeryV.M. Bekhterev national research medical center for psychiatry and neurologyV.M. Bekhterev national research medical center for psychiatry and neurologyV.M. Bekhterev national research medical center for psychiatry and neurologyV.M. Bekhterev national research medical center for psychiatry and neurologySt.-Petersburg State Pediatric Medical UniversityH. Turner National Medical Research Center for Сhildren’s Orthopedics and Trauma SurgerySummary. Mental disorders are clinically heterogeneous chronic diseases resulting from complex interactions between genotype variants and environmental factors. Epigenetic processes, such as DNA methylation and post-translational histone modification, determine the interpretation by the body at the cellular and tissue levels of various environmental factors. Given that epigenetic modifications are environmentally sensitive, stable and reversible, epigenetic research in psychiatry may be a promising approach to better understanding and treating mental illness. This review discusses the clinical opportunities and challenges posed by epigenetic research in psychiatry. Using individual examples, the main conclusions are drawn that confirm the role of adverse life events, alone or in combination with genetic risk, in the epigenetic programming of neuropsychiatric systems. Further epigenetic studies show encouraging results in the use of methylation changes as diagnostic markers of disease manifestations and provide predictive tools for assessing progression and response to treatment. The potential for the use of targeted epigenetic pharmacotherapy, combined with psychosocial methods, in the context of the personalized medicine of the future in psychiatry is discussed next. It concludes with a discussion of methodological limitations that can make it difficult to interpret epigenetic data in psychiatry. They mainly arise due to the heterogeneity of individuals, both at the level of the whole organism and at the level of tissues, and require new strategies to better assess the biological significance of epigenetic data and their translational use in psychiatry. Overall, we believe that epigenetics can provide new insights and a more comprehensive understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of mental illness, and should ultimately improve the nosology, treatment and prevention of mental disorders.https://www.bekhterevreview.com/jour/article/view/582biological psychiatrybiomarkersepigeneticspharmacotherapypsychosocial therapy
spellingShingle S. E. Khalchitsky
M. V. Ivanov
M. V. Sogoyan
M. G. Yanushko
M. A. Tumova
L. M. Muslimova
V. V. Stanovaya
J. V. Khutoryanskaya
S. V. Vissarionov
Revealing the biological basis of mental illness: epigenetic research as a new direction in diagnosis and treatment
Обозрение психиатрии и медицинской психологии имени В.М. Бехтерева
biological psychiatry
biomarkers
epigenetics
pharmacotherapy
psychosocial therapy
title Revealing the biological basis of mental illness: epigenetic research as a new direction in diagnosis and treatment
title_full Revealing the biological basis of mental illness: epigenetic research as a new direction in diagnosis and treatment
title_fullStr Revealing the biological basis of mental illness: epigenetic research as a new direction in diagnosis and treatment
title_full_unstemmed Revealing the biological basis of mental illness: epigenetic research as a new direction in diagnosis and treatment
title_short Revealing the biological basis of mental illness: epigenetic research as a new direction in diagnosis and treatment
title_sort revealing the biological basis of mental illness epigenetic research as a new direction in diagnosis and treatment
topic biological psychiatry
biomarkers
epigenetics
pharmacotherapy
psychosocial therapy
url https://www.bekhterevreview.com/jour/article/view/582
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