Maltraitance infantile et mécanismes épigénétiques

In an attempt to better understand the potential impact of childhood abuse on the development of psychiatric disorders, studies have recently focused on the mechanisms regulating gene expression: epigenetics. These studies have shown both quantitative changes (greater number of epigenetic changes) and qualitative changes in people who had experienced abuse in childhood. Qualitatively, the most promising results primarily concerned the genes involved in the regulation of the stress axis i.e. NR3C1 or FKBP5. Other genes such as BDNF or certain microRNAs also appear promising. However, further studies are required to determine how these epigenetic changes may serve as potential biomarkers not only for the disease but also regarding the response to treatment.