It is well recognized that environmental exposures, particularly early-life stress, can contribute to epigenetic alterations and increased risk for the development of psychopathology, including internalizing and externalizing disorders. The impact of stress on gene expression changes and the risk for internalizing and externalizing disorders has been shown to vary as a function of one’s genetic make-up. Indeed, findings from both human and animal studies have highlighted that genetic vulnerabilities confer increased risk for cellular and epigenetic modifications and psychopathology manifestation in the context of adversity.
However, our understanding of the impact of specific environmental exposures across the lifespan and their interactions with genetic characteristics in influencing gene expression alterations and the emergence, maintenance, or exacerbation of psychopathology remains limited. The goal of this special issue is to enhance our understanding of gene-environment interactions across the life course that may contribute to epigenetic modifications and internalizing and externalizing disorders in both human and animal models.
Topics of interest include:
- Studies focusing on polygenic scores, epigenetics, gene expression, and environmental factors are of interest.
- Considered disorders or phenotypes are depression, suicide behavior, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, and substance use disorders.
- Studies that employ novel and innovative approaches to address these questions are of particular interest, as are longitudinal studies that may highlight developmental windows during which genetic and environmental effects are most impactful.
It is well recognized that environmental exposures, particularly early-life stress, can contribute to epigenetic alterations and increased risk for the development of psychopathology, including internalizing and externalizing disorders. The impact of stress on gene expression changes and the risk for internalizing and externalizing disorders has been shown to vary as a function of one’s genetic make-up. Indeed, findings from both human and animal studies have highlighted that genetic vulnerabilities confer increased risk for cellular and epigenetic modifications and psychopathology manifestation in the context of adversity.
However, our understanding of the impact of specific environmental exposures across the lifespan and their interactions with genetic characteristics in influencing gene expression alterations and the emergence, maintenance, or exacerbation of psychopathology remains limited. The goal of this special issue is to enhance our understanding of gene-environment interactions across the life course that may contribute to epigenetic modifications and internalizing and externalizing disorders in both human and animal models.
Topics of interest include:
- Studies focusing on polygenic scores, epigenetics, gene expression, and environmental factors are of interest.
- Considered disorders or phenotypes are depression, suicide behavior, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, and substance use disorders.
- Studies that employ novel and innovative approaches to address these questions are of particular interest, as are longitudinal studies that may highlight developmental windows during which genetic and environmental effects are most impactful.