scholarly journals Epigenetic mechanisms in the development of behavior: Advances, challenges, and future promises of a new field

2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (4pt2) ◽  
pp. 1279-1291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tania L. Roth
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Epigenetic Alterations ◽  
Stress Exposure ◽  
The Past ◽  
Gene Environment

AbstractIn the past decade, there have been exciting advances in the field of behavioral epigenetics that have provided new insights into a biological basis of neural and behavioral effects of gene–environment interactions. It is now understood that changes in the activity of genes established through epigenetic alterations occur as a consequence of exposure to environmental adversity, social stress, and traumatic experiences. DNA methylation in particular has thus emerged as a leading candidate biological pathway linking gene–environment interactions to long-term and even multigenerational trajectories in behavioral development, including the vulnerability and resilience to psychopathology. This paper discusses what we have learned from research using animal models and from studies in which the translation of these findings has been made to humans. Studies concerning the significance of DNA methylation alterations in outcomes associated with stress exposure later in life and dysfunction in the form of neuropsychiatric disorders are highlighted, and several avenues of future research are suggested that promise to advance our understanding of epigenetics both as a mechanism by which the environment can contribute to the development of psychiatric disorders and as an avenue for more effective intervention and treatment strategies.

Chinese Medicine Protein and Peptide in Gene and Cell Therapy

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 251-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yinlu Feng ◽  
Zifei Yin ◽  
Daniel Zhang ◽  
Arun Srivastava ◽  
Chen Ling
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Medicine ◽  
Cell Therapy ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Past ◽  
Promising Strategy ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
New Directions ◽  
Gene And Cell Therapy ◽  
Proteins And Peptides

The success of gene and cell therapy in clinic during the past two decades as well as our expanding ability to manipulate these biomaterials are leading to new therapeutic options for a wide range of inherited and acquired diseases. Combining conventional therapies with this emerging field is a promising strategy to treat those previously-thought untreatable diseases. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has evolved for thousands of years in China and still plays an important role in human health. As part of the active ingredients of TCM, proteins and peptides have attracted long-term enthusiasm of researchers. More recently, they have been utilized in gene and cell therapy, resulting in promising novel strategies to treat both cancer and non-cancer diseases. This manuscript presents a critical review on this field, accompanied with perspectives on the challenges and new directions for future research in this emerging frontier.

scholarly journals Attachment and relationships: Milestones and future directions

2010 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffry A. Simpson ◽  
W. Steven Rholes
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
The Past

Adult attachment researchers have made important strides during the past 25 years in testing and applying attachment theory to multiple personal and interpersonal domains. We highlight some of the major milestones and then propose several directions for future research. Some of the most important and promising directions include testing additional normative processes implied by attachment theory, developing and testing critical connections between attachment theory and other major interpersonal theories, and identifying pathways between attachment processes and long-term health outcomes.

scholarly journals “I could’ve had a better life”: Reflective life reviews told by late-middle-aged and older women and men with ongoing long-term alcohol problems

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Bergström
Keyword(s):  
Older Women ◽  
Alcohol Problems ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Work Related ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Social ◽  
Self Development ◽  
Letting Go

Aim: This study accounts for how people aged 55-69 with ongoing long-term alcohol problems conceptualize past, present and future. Methods: A total of 19 interviews were performed, from which reflective life reviews were obtained and analyzed as narrative life accounts. Three structuring thematic traits were identified: resentment of life, acceptance of life and gratitude towards life. Results: The study shows how past, present and future intertwine into meaningful entities incorporating certain governing master narratives about recovery, familiar for example from expert discourse and the AA movement. When it comes to the theme of resentment, the participants articulated disappointment over what life had become and emphasized especially the missed work-related opportunities that the drinking had caused. In the theme of acceptance letting go of the past was viewed as important for creating a sober future. Within the dimension of gratitude the past was seen as a resource for self-development and future recovery. Conclusions: How long-term alcohol problems are conceptualized in the long view of a life narrative may have great implications for outlooks of a sober future. A closer look at the social and cultural material incorporated in the stories of this age group is an important task for future research.

Quality of life following surgery for congenital cardiac malformations in neonates and infants

2005 ◽  
Vol 15 (S1) ◽  
pp. 174-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Mussatto ◽  
James Tweddell
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cardiac Malformations ◽  
The Past ◽  
Congenital Cardiac Disease ◽  
Major Shift ◽  
Neonates And Infants ◽  
The Impact

The past two decades have witnessed a major shift towards repair of most congenital cardiac malformations during the neonatal or infant periods of life.1 Early anatomic correction or palliation, dramatic improvements in survival, and reduced morbidity due to improvements in perioperative and long-term medical management, have resulted in new populations of children that have reaped the benefits of the best care currently available for treatment of congenital cardiac disease. The impact of the congenital cardiac malformations, however, extends far beyond the walls of the hospital or clinic where we diagnose, treat, and follow our patients. The breakthrough of achieving predictable results with repair or palliation of most lesions during the neonatal and infant periods mandates us to look beyond survival, and to examine the lives our patients lead when they are outside of our care. Our purpose in this review is to discuss the measures of psychosocial outcome that are appropriate for exploration in those neonates and infants who survive cardiac surgery, to explore what is known about the psychosocial outcomes and quality of life for these patients, and what needs exist for future research.

Unemployment, Underemployment, Occupational Stress and Psychological Well-Being

2002 ◽  
Vol 27 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 137-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony H. Winefield
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Stress ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Interest ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
The Past ◽  
Considerable Research ◽  
Future Research Directions

Research on unemployment, underemployment and organisational stress have become major social issues over the past 20 years and have attracted considerable research interest on the part of organisational psychologists both in Australia and overseas. Globalisation has led to restructuring and downsizing in many industrialised societies and a shift, for many workers, from the prospect of secure, long-term employment, to unemployment or inadequate or insecure employment. This paper reviews the research on these topics, discusses their theoretical implications and suggests future research directions.

scholarly journals Associations between indicators of socioeconomic position and DNA methylation: A systematic review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janine K. Cerutti ◽  
Alexandre A. Lussier ◽  
Yiwen Zhu ◽  
Jiaxuan Liu ◽  
Erin C. Dunn
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Socioeconomic Position ◽  
Prenatal Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Socioeconomic Environment ◽  
The Life Course ◽  
Study Designs

AbstractSocioeconomic position (SEP) is a major determinant of health across the life course. Yet, little is known about the biological mechanisms explaining this relationship. One possible explanation is through an epigenetic process called DNA methylation (DNAm), wherein the socioeconomic environment causes no alteration in the DNA sequence but modifies gene activity, gene expression, and therefore long-term health. To understand the evidence supporting a potential SEP-DNAm link, we performed a systematic review of published empirical findings on the association between SEP (from prenatal development to adulthood) and DNAm measured across the life course, with an eye toward evaluating how the timing, duration, and type of SEP exposure influenced DNAm. Across the 37 studies we identified, there was some evidence for the effect of SEP timing and duration on DNAm, with early-life SEP and persistently low SEP being particularly strong indicators of DNAm. Different indicators of SEP also had some unique associations with DNAm profiles, suggesting that SEP is not a singular concept, but rather that different aspects of the socioeconomic environment can shift DNAm patterns through distinct pathways. These differences with respect to SEP timing, duration, and type were notable because they were detected even among heterogenous study designs. Overall, findings from this review underscore the importance of analyzing SEP timing, duration, and type, given the complex relationship between SEP and DNAm across the lifespan. To guide future research, we highlight current limitations in the literature and propose recommendations for overcoming some of these challenges.

Comorbidity of Depression and Conduct Disorder

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah M. Capaldi ◽  
Hyoun K. Kim
Keyword(s):  
Conduct Disorder ◽  
Problem Behaviors ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Conduct Disorders ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Long Term Outcomes ◽  
The Past ◽  
Gender Similarities ◽  
The Individual

Both depression and conduct disorders are relatively prevalent and are related to poor long-term outcomes. Despite being characterized by very different symptoms, it is well established that these two disorders co-occur at higher rates than expected by chance, resulting in poorer adjustment for the individual than would result from either problem alone. The termcomorbidityis usually reserved to refer to the association of diagnosed disorders, whereasco-occurrencerefers more broadly to the association of levels of symptoms of conduct problems and depression, which are usually calculated with means or possibly symptoms counts. In the past two decades, researchers have focused particularly on the following issues regarding the comorbidity of depression and conduct disorder: (1) possible causal associations of the two problem behaviors (i.e., do depressive disorders tend to onset after conduct disorders or vice versa); (2) theory regarding causes of the association (i.e., common versus unique risk factors for these two problem behaviors); (3) changes across development (i.e., with age); (4) risks from diagnosed disorders versus symptoms that do not reach diagnostic criteria; (5) outcomes or prognosis (e.g., are outcomes more severe for co-occurring problems than for either problem alone, are there distinct patterns of outcomes associated with co-occurring problems). Within each of these areas there is considerable interest in moderation of effects by gender or gender similarities and differences. This chapter reviews findings pertaining to these issues and presents suggestions for future research. In addition, assessment approaches and clinical implications are discussed.

scholarly journals Policy preferences in a post-war environment

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 205316801877993
Author(s):  
Dino Hadzic
Keyword(s):  
Policy Preferences ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Personal Safety ◽  
The Past ◽  
Large N ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Post War ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Do So

Can reminders of violence committed in the past influence citizens’ policy preferences in the present? Prior work has found that under the threat of violence individuals prioritize safety and adopt policy views aimed at reducing the threat. Elites can then strategically employ concerns over personal safety and security to shape the public’s preferences. I contribute to this literature by conducting an exploratory study of whether invocations of violence committed in the past shape preferences in the long-term, years after the actual violence has ended. To do so, I fielded an experiment on a large ( N = 1125) and nationally representative sample of respondents in Bosnia, the site of a major ethnic civil war in 1992–1995. I did not find evidence that reminders of wartime violence in and of themselves affect policy preferences. Ultimately, this study represents a first cut at a neglected question in the literature and has implications that could motivate future research on the relationship between violent conflict and policy preferences.

scholarly journals Liver Fibrosis: Causes and Methods of Assessment, A Review

2015 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 304-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Erfani Karimzadeh Toosi
Keyword(s):  
Liver Fibrosis ◽  
Liver Biopsy ◽  
Hepatic Dysfunction ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Progressive Development ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
The Past ◽  
Invasive Method

AbstractHepatic fibrogenesis is the final result of injury to the liver. Fibrosis could lead to hepatic dysfunction, important in the pathogenesis of other chronic problems. Therefore, understanding the mechanism, accurate diagnosis and staging of it in early stages accelerates the treatment and reduces the prevalence of chirrosis. Treatment strategies of liver problems and detction methods depend on the amount and progression of liver fibrosis and the rate of cirrhosis development. Traditionally the invasive method, liver biopsy, is reference standard to follow progression and stage of fibrosis. However, during the past decade, progressive development of novel non-invasive methodologies has challenged the invasive method. Non-invasive methods have been initially introduced for chronic hepatitis C with increasing use in other chronic liver diseases. The need for liver biopsy has nowadays decreased significantly as a result of these methodologies. Most of the new non-invasive methods depend on either ‘biological’ or ‘physical’ approaches.In this review, starting from the mechanism of fibrogenesis, the current knowledge about diagnosis, treatment strategies and different methods for its evaluation is discussed. This is followed by a conclusion on what is expected to be known in this field during the future research.

scholarly journals Effects of maternal exposure to social stress during pregnancy: consequences for mother and offspring

Reproduction ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 146 (5) ◽  
pp. R175-R189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula J Brunton
Keyword(s):  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Prenatal Stress ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Maternal Stress ◽  
Reproductive Potential ◽  
Maternal Behaviour ◽  
Stress Exposure ◽  
Prenatally Stressed ◽  
In Pregnancy

A suboptimalin uteroenvironment, for example, as a result of maternal stress, can have detrimental effects on the pregnancy and long-term adverse ‘programming’ effects on the offspring. This article focuses on the effects of prenatal social stress on the mother, her pregnancy and the offspring, since these issues have ethological relevance in both animals and humans. The consequences of social stress exposure depend on when during pregnancy the stress occurs, and many of the effects on the offspring are sex specific. Social stress during early pregnancy tends to result in pregnancy loss, whereas stress exposure later in pregnancy, when the mother has already invested considerable resources in the foetuses, results in programmed offspring of low birth weight: a risk factor for various adulthood diseases. Neuroendocrine and behavioural responses to stress in the offspring are particularly sensitive to foetal programming by prenatal stress, indicated by enhanced hypothalamo-pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis responses and increased anxiety behaviour, which result from permanent changes in the offspring's brain. The dysregulation of HPA axis function may also interfere with other systems, for example, the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis, as there is evidence for alterations in steroidogenesis, reproductive potential and impaired reproductive/social behaviours in prenatally stressed offspring. Prenatal social stress also programmes future maternal behaviour, highlighting the potential for negative phenotypes to be transmitted to future generations. The possible mechanisms through which maternal stress during pregnancy is transmitted to the foetuses and the foetal brain is programmed by prenatal stress and the potential to overwrite programming of the offspring are discussed.

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