Oct, 1, 2023

Vol.30 No.2, pp. 84-88

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Review

  • Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
  • Volume 15(4); 2008
  • Article

Review

Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry 2008;15(4):243-53. Published online: Apr, 1, 2008

Abstract PDF Full Text

Epigenetics and Psychiatric Disorders

  • Daeyoung Oh, MD1;Byung-Hwan Yang, MD, PhD1; and Yu-Sang Lee, MD, PhD2;
    1;Department of Neuropsychiatry and Mental Health Institute, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, 2;Department of Psychiatry, Yongin Mental Hospital, Yongin, Korea
Abstract

In the post-genomic era, the mechanisms controlling activation of genes are thought to be more important. Gene-environment interactions are crucial in both development and treatment of psychiatric disorders as they are complex genetic disorders. Epigenetics is defined as a change of gene expression that occurs without a change of DNA sequence and can be heritable by certain mechanisms. Epigenetic changes play essential roles in control of gene activation. DNA methylation, chromatin remodeling and RNAi act as key mechanisms for epigenetic modifications of genes. Here, we review the basic mechanisms of epigenetics and discuss their potential involvement of human diseases, including psychiatric disorders.

Keywords Gene;Epigenetics;DNA methylation;Chromatin remodeling;Psychiatric disorders.