scholarly journals Socially stratified epigenetic profiles are associated with cognitive functioning in children and adolescents

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurel Amber Sjodin Raffington ◽  
Peter Tanksley ◽  
Aditi Sabhlok ◽  
Liza Vinnik ◽  
Travis Triplett Mallard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Social Inequality ◽  
Chronic Inflammation ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Surrogate Endpoint ◽  
Biological Aging ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Reading And Math ◽  
Perceptual Reasoning

Children's cognitive functioning and educational performance are socially stratified. Social inequality, including classism and racism, may operate partly via epigenetic mechanisms that modulate neurocognitive development. Following preregistered analyses of data from 1,183 8- to 19-year-olds from the Texas Twin Project, we examined whether salivary DNA-methylation measures of inflammation (DNAm-CRP), cognitive functioning (Epigenetic-g), and pace of biological aging (DunedinPoAm) are socially stratified and associated with performance on tests of cognitive functions. We find that children growing up in more disadvantaged families and neighborhoods and children from marginalized racial/ethnic groups exhibit DNA-methylation profiles associated with higher chronic inflammation, lower cognitive functioning, and faster pace of biological aging. These salivary DNA-methylation profiles were associated with processing speed, general executive function, perceptual reasoning, verbal comprehension, reading, and math. Given that the DNA-methylation measures we examined were originally developed in adults, our results suggest that social inequalities may produce in children molecular signatures that, when observed in adults, are associated with chronic inflammation, advanced aging, and reduced cognitive function. Salivary DNA-methylation profiles might be useful as a surrogate endpoint in assessing the effectiveness of psychological and economic interventions that aim to reduce negative effects of childhood social inequality on lifespan development.

scholarly journals Creating and validating a DNA methylation-based proxy for Interleukin-6

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna J Stevenson ◽  
Danni A Gadd ◽  
Robert Francis Hillary ◽  
Daniel L. McCartney ◽  
Archie Campbell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Chronic Inflammation ◽  
Interleukin 6 ◽  
Epigenetic Mechanism ◽  
Inverse Association ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Independent Test ◽  
Methylation Score

Chronic inflammation is a pervasive feature of ageing and may be linked to age-related cognitive decline. However, population studies evaluating its relationship with cognitive functioning have produced heterogeneous results. A potential reason for this is the variability of inflammatory mediators which could lead to misclassifications of individuals' persisting levels of inflammation. The epigenetic mechanism DNA methylation has shown utility in indexing environmental exposures and could potentially be leveraged to provide proxy signatures of chronic inflammation. We conducted an elastic net regression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in a cohort of 895 older adults (mean age: 69 years) to develop a DNA methylation-based predictor. The predictor was tested in an independent cohort (n=7,028 [417 with measured IL-6], mean age: 51 years).We examined the association between the DNA methylation IL-6 score and serum IL-6, its association with age and established correlates of circulating IL-6, and with cognitive ability. A weighted score from 12 DNA methylation sites optimally predicted IL-6 (independent test set R2=5.1%). In the independent test cohort, both measured IL-6, and the DNA methylation proxy, increased as a function of age (serum IL-6: n=417, β=0.02, SE=0.004 p=1.3x10-7; DNAm IL-6 score: n=7,028, β=0.02, SE=0.0009, p<2x10-16). Serum IL-6 was not found to associate with cognitive ability (n=417, β=-0.06, SE=0.05, p=0.19); however, an inverse association was identified between the DNA methylation score and cognitive functioning (n=7,028, β=-0.14, SE=0.02, pFDR=1.5x10-14). These results suggest DNA methylation-based predictors can be used as proxies for inflammatory markers, potentially allowing for reliable insights into the relationship between chronic inflammation and pertinent health outcomes.

scholarly journals Creating and Validating a DNA Methylation-Based Proxy for Interleukin-6

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna J Stevenson ◽  
Danni A Gadd ◽  
Robert F Hillary ◽  
Daniel L McCartney ◽  
Archie Campbell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Chronic Inflammation ◽  
Interleukin 6 ◽  
Inverse Association ◽  
Generation Scotland ◽  
Independent Test ◽  
Lothian Birth Cohort ◽  
Weighted Score ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background Studies evaluating the relationship between chronic inflammation and cognitive functioning have produced heterogeneous results. A potential reason for this is the variability of inflammatory mediators which could lead to misclassifications of individuals’ persisting levels of inflammation. DNA methylation (DNAm) has shown utility in indexing environmental exposures and could be leveraged to provide proxy signatures of chronic inflammation. Method We conducted an elastic net regression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in a cohort of 875 older adults (Lothian Birth Cohort 1936; mean age: 70 years) to develop a DNAm-based predictor. The predictor was tested in an independent cohort (Generation Scotland; N = 7028 [417 with measured IL-6], mean age: 51 years). Results A weighted score from 35 CpG sites optimally predicted IL-6 in the independent test set (Generation Scotland; R2 = 4.4%, p = 2.1 × 10−5). In the independent test cohort, both measured IL-6 and the DNAm proxy increased with age (serum IL-6: n = 417, β = 0.02, SE = 0.004, p = 1.3 × 10−7; DNAm IL-6 score: N = 7028, β = 0.02, SE = 0.0009, p &lt; 2 × 10−16). Serum IL-6 did not associate with cognitive ability (n = 417, β = −0.06, SE = 0.05, p = .19); however, an inverse association was identified between the DNAm score and cognitive functioning (N = 7028, β = −0.16, SE = 0.02, pFDR &lt; 2 × 10−16). Conclusions These results suggest methylation-based predictors can be used as proxies for inflammatory markers, potentially allowing for further insight into the relationship between inflammation and pertinent health outcomes.

scholarly journals DNA Methylation and Protein Markers of Chronic Inflammation and Their Associations With Brain and Cognitive Aging

Neurology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 10.1212/WNL.0000000000012997
Author(s):  
Eleanor L.S. Conole ◽  
Anna J. Stevenson ◽  
Susana Muñoz Maniega ◽  
Sarah E. Harris ◽  
Claire Green ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Chronic Inflammation ◽  
Brain Health ◽  
C Reactive Protein ◽  
Reactive Protein ◽  
Matter Volume ◽  
Inflammatory Status ◽  
Serum Crp

Objective:To investigate chronic inflammation in relation cognitive ageing by comparison of an epigenetic and serum biomarker of C-Reactive Protein and their associations with neuroimaging and cognitive outcomes.Methods:At baseline, participants (N = 521) were cognitively normal, around 73 years of age (M = 72.4, SD = 0.716), and had inflammation, vascular risk (cardiovascular disease history, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, alcohol consumption and BMI) and neuroimaging (structural and diffusion MRI) data available. Baseline inflammatory status was quantified by a traditional measure of peripheral inflammation – serum C-Reactive Protein (serum CRP) – and an epigenetic measure (DNA methylation signature of CRP; DNAm CRP). Linear models were used to examine the inflammation-brain health associations; mediation analyses were performed to interrogate the relationship between chronic inflammation, brain structure and cognitive functioning.Results:We demonstrate that DNAm CRP shows significantly (on average 6.4-fold) stronger associations with brain health outcomes than serum CRP. DNAm CRP is associated with total brain volume (β = -0.197, 95% CI [-0.28, -0.12], pFDR = 8.42 x 10-6), grey matter volume (β = -0.200, 95% CI [-0.28, -0.12], pFDR = 1.66 x 10-5) and white matter volume (β = -0.150, 95% CI [-0.23, -0.07], pFDR = 0.001) and regional brain atrophy. We additionally find that DNAm CRP has an inverse association with global and domain-specific (speed, visuospatial and memory) cognitive functioning, and that brain structure partially mediates this CRP-cognitive association (up to 29.7%), dependent on lifestyle and health factors.Conclusions:These results support the hypothesis that chronic inflammation may contribute to neurodegenerative brain changes which underlie differences in cognitive ability in later life and highlight the potential of DNA methylation proxies for indexing chronic inflammatory status.Classification of Evidence:This study provides Class II evidence that a DNA methylation signature of CRP levels is more strongly associated with brain health outcomes than serum CRP levels.

scholarly journals Genome-wide association studies identify 137 genetic loci for DNA methylation biomarkers of aging

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel L. McCartney ◽  
Josine L. Min ◽  
Rebecca C. Richmond ◽  
Ake T. Lu ◽  
Maria K. Sobczyk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Genome Wide Association Study ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Genome Wide Association ◽  
Biological Aging ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Genetic Loci ◽  
Biomarkers Of Aging ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Shared Genetic

Abstract Background Biological aging estimators derived from DNA methylation data are heritable and correlate with morbidity and mortality. Consequently, identification of genetic and environmental contributors to the variation in these measures in populations has become a major goal in the field. Results Leveraging DNA methylation and SNP data from more than 40,000 individuals, we identify 137 genome-wide significant loci, of which 113 are novel, from genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analyses of four epigenetic clocks and epigenetic surrogate markers for granulocyte proportions and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 levels, respectively. We find evidence for shared genetic loci associated with the Horvath clock and expression of transcripts encoding genes linked to lipid metabolism and immune function. Notably, these loci are independent of those reported to regulate DNA methylation levels at constituent clock CpGs. A polygenic score for GrimAge acceleration showed strong associations with adiposity-related traits, educational attainment, parental longevity, and C-reactive protein levels. Conclusion This study illuminates the genetic architecture underlying epigenetic aging and its shared genetic contributions with lifestyle factors and longevity.

scholarly journals Trends in social inequalities in breastfeeding and infant formulas in Latin American countries between the 1990 and 2010 decades

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Camila S Ferreira ◽  
Catarina M Azeredo ◽  
Ana Elisa M Rinaldi
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Social Inequality ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Weighted Least Squares ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Demographic And Health Surveys ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Simultaneous Decrease

Abstract Objective: To analyse trends of social inequality in breastfeeding and infant formula (IF) use in Latin America between 1990 and 2010 decades. Design: Time-series cross-sectional study with data from Demographic and Health Surveys. We described the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), breastfeeding between 6 and 12 months (BF6-12) and IF for infants under 6 months (IF < 6) and between 6 and 12 months (IF6-12). Social inequalities were assessed using the slope index of inequality (SII) and concentration index (CIX). Trends in the prevalence of breastfeeding, IF and index of social inequality were analysed by a linear regression model with weighted least squares variance. Setting: Bolivia, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti and Peru. Participants: 51·358 alive infants younger than 12 months. Results: Five countries showed an increasing trend for EBF and BF6-12, four increased for IF < 6 and six for IF6-12. Simultaneous decrease in IF < 6 (Colombia: −0·3/year; Haiti: −0·02/year) and increase in EBF (Colombia: +2·0/year; Haiti: +1·9/year) were observed only in two countries. EBF prevalence was high in the lowest income quintiles in five countries, and IF prevalence was high in the highest income quintiles in all countries and over the decades. For BF6-12, a decrease in inequality (prevalence increased in the highest quintile) was observed in Guatemala (SII1995 = −0·42; SII2015 = −0·28) and the Dominican Republic (SII1996 = −0·54; SII2013 = −0·26). Guatemala was the only country showing a decrease in inequality for BF (SII = −0·005; CIX = −0·0035) and an increase for IF (SII = 0·022; CIX = 0·01). Conclusions: The inequality in BF and IF remained over time. However, inequality in IF < 6 has decreased because low-income infants have increased use and high-income infants have decreased.

scholarly journals A Genome-Wide Integrative Association Study of DNA Methylation and Gene Expression Data and Later Life Cognitive Functioning in Monozygotic Twins

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mette Soerensen ◽  
Dominika Marzena Hozakowska-Roszkowska ◽  
Marianne Nygaard ◽  
Martin J. Larsen ◽  
Veit Schwämmle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Association Study ◽  
Gene Expression Data ◽  
Monozygotic Twins ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Expression Data ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
A Genome

Confinement risks and social inequality in Latin America: Evidence from Argentina

2021 ◽  
pp. 001139212199001
Author(s):  
Fiorella Mancini
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Social Inequality ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Cultural Aspects ◽  
Sociological Approach ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Health And Well Being

Social distancing and isolation measures in response to COVID-19 have confined individuals to their homes and produced unexpected side-effects and secondary risks. In Latin America, the measures taken by individual governments to mitigate these new daily and experiential risks have varied significantly as have the responses to social isolation in each country. Given these new social circumstances, the purpose of this article is to investigate, from the sociological approach of risk-taking, the relationship between confinement, secondary risks and social inequality. The author argues that secondary risks, despite their broad scope, are deeply structured by social inequalities in contemporary societies, especially in developing countries. To corroborate this hypothesis, a quantitative comparative analysis is performed for the Argentine case. Using data from a web-survey and correspondence analysis (CA), there are three major findings: (1) there are some widespread experiences similarly distributed across all social strata, especially those related to emotional and subjective matters; (2) other risks follow socio-structural inequalities, especially those corresponding to material and cultural aspects of consumption; (3) for specific vulnerable groups, compulsory confinement causes great dilemmas of decision-making between health and well-being.

Wzbogacona rzeczywistość a nierówności społeczne

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-93
Author(s):  
Piotr Nieradka ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Inequality ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Advanced Technology ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Augmented Reality Technology ◽  
Digital Gap ◽  
The One ◽  
The Impact

This paper focuses on the technology of extended reality, whereby the aim is to draw attention to selected issues related to technology and solutions in the extended reality area in the context of social inequalities. The first part of the article discusses the essence of extended reality technology, paying attention to its place in the modern economy, along with a description of such solutions. The remainder of the study focuses on the issue of social inequality, with particular emphasis on the impact of extended reality on the problem of the digital gap and digital divide. The article presents the results of original research undertaken on a group of 88 respondents with both CAWI and equipment supporting augmented reality technology, of which 39.36% declared testing with this type of equipment in the past. The article also presents the results of original research with the use of XR equipment. XR-related solutions are currently still perceived as luxury goods, despite both the increasing availability for users and undoubtedly unique advantages. These include realism of generated experiences and the phenomenon of immersion in the synthetic world. The analysis of the role of such solutions in the context of social inequality provides a conclusion about their dichotomous nature. On the one hand, by popularizing the XR technology, the possibility of overcoming barriers and inequalities resulting from individual characteristics or social position is created, which leads to the improvement in the life situations of some people who have been struggling with exclusion so far. On the other hand, it provides the conclusion that such advanced technology entering everyday life has the potential to create another digital divide, which in the long term will result in increasing digital disproportions and exclusion.

Intergenerational effects of maternal post-traumatic stress disorder on offspring epigenetic patterns and cortisol levels

Epigenomics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Line Hjort ◽  
Feride Rushiti ◽  
Shr-Jie Wang ◽  
Peter Fransquet ◽  
Sebahate P Krasniqi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Significance Levels ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Cortisol Levels ◽  
Epigenetic Patterns

Aim: To investigate the association between maternal post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during pregnancy and offspring DNA methylation and cortisol levels. Materials & methods: Blood genome-wide DNA methylation and cortisol was measured in the youngest child of 117 women who experienced sexual violence/torture during the Kosovo war. Results: Seventy-two percent of women had PTSD symptoms during pregnancy. Their children had higher cortisol levels and differential methylation at candidate genes ( NR3C1, HTR3A and BNDF) . No methylation differences reached epigenome-wide corrected significance levels. Conclusion: Identifying the biological processes whereby the negative effects of trauma are passed across generations and defining groups at high risk is a key step to breaking the intergenerational transmission of the effects of mental disorders.

NEOLIBERALISM PHILOSOPHY IN LEGAL REGULATION AND HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY AS DIRECTION TO HANDLE WITH SOCIAL INEQUALITY IN COMPANY’S PURPOSE

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryna Toporkova ◽  
◽  
Olena Fedotova ◽  
Anna Zhukova ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Social Inequality ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Ronald Reagan ◽  
The United States ◽  
Legal Regulation ◽  
Significant Feature ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Active Involvement ◽  
The United Kingdom

Our research lies in the field of correlation between the companies' development and philosophy of neoliberalism, philosophy that stood behind the policies of Margaret Thatcher in the United Kingdom and Ronald Reagan in the United States. The common significant feature of the above was government spending reduction and, as logically follows, reduction of government active involvement; this led to the policy of privatisation, market deregulation, lesser budgets and reduced numbers of government officials. Any opinion on neoliberalism inevitably depends on one’s ideology, it cannot be purely objective. This is what makes it more controversial and less “scientific”, but also more interesting. This question in itself shows us conflict between two common views: that focus on shareholders’ profit slows companies’ development, and an opposing one, suggesting that it enhances efficiency. There is also a third part of it: connection of neoliberalism to social inequalities. Yet the latter are hardly connected to efficiency and development; these are separate issues. Economy may be strong and fast-developing, yet having a great social inequality (as it often happened in 19th century), it may be based primarily on social policies, and even seem strong, but bear a flaw that would eventually cause its downfall (as proved by Soviet Union), or it may try to focus on both development and society (as many countries try to do now). Every combination has its own strengths and weaknesses; here is when an ideology becomes important, since ideology sets a list of priorities, thus allowing to decide which one is “better”. Although most academic works tend to avoid such decision, it becomes extremely important when a question of governmental policies arise, so it should not be ignored. Another important mental aspect are moral standards of a particular society; should at least those be common, they could have become a ground for standardisation. But, as philosophy of moral relativism suggests, they are not, [6] so current local ideology and practical considerations remain chief reasons to make a choice.

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