Neurology, Addiction and Psychiatry Conference

Neuroepigenetics is a relatively new area of study, aimed at analyzing the impact of epigenetic alterations, those changes in gene expression and not in the DNA sequence themselves, on brain function and behavior and their contribution to the etiology of neurological disorders. It can be said that neuroepigenetics provides an understanding of how experience and environment and lifestyle influence the brain at a molecular level to impact mental health and cognition over a lifetime, by focusing on epigenetic mechanisms of regulation of brain activity.

Epigenetic modifications are DNA methylation and histone adjustment, both involved in gene expression, that have a critical role for the development and maturation of the nervous system and for its health over time. These conditions result from specific environmental stimuli; these include stress, diet, exposure to harmful substances, and care from one's parents during the very early phases of life. At such a time, epigenetic changes may switch on or off some of the genes and then lead to some long-lasting consequence in the brain concerning tensile strength in its adaptability and performance.

Neuroepigenetics research studies recently have been on how alterations occur neurodevelopmental disorders, namely, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Such findings have shown that early stress or trauma induces epigenetic reprogramming of genes governing emotion regulation and cognitive processes, thus predisposing the individual for later life.

Other neuroepigenetics research areas include neural plasticity, a term used relatively loosely to indicate the ability of the brain to change throughout life. Synaptic connections between neurons are epigenetically regulated during memory formation, learning, and adaptation; thus, neuroepigenetic changes may be associated with improved or worse performance in cognitive endeavors depending on what kind of epigenetic changes have been made.

Neuronal epigenetics also opens potential therapeutic pathways for a few neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Epigenetic regulators control neuronal cell death as well as neuroinflammation; hence, possibly new treatments will be established that can slow down or reverse the still largely irreversible progression of these devastatingly debilitating conditions.

This area, that is epigenetic therapy is simply modification of this to reverse alterations in expression to correct for abnormalities in function has also been gaining interest with advances in the neuroepigenetic area. Scientists are now testing drugs targeted at specific enzymes in epigenetics, such as inhibitors of histone deacetylase, for a broad spectrum of mental and neurological disorders.

Neuroepigenetics refers to a relatively newly emerging field that stitches together genetics, brain function, and environment in novel ways, unveiling the interactions that may determine the molecular landscape of the brain. Understanding the mechanisms of epigenetics sculpting brain health opens a new door for novel prevention and therapeutic strategies against neurological disorders and enhancement of cognitive functions throughout life.