Oxytocin receptor gene methylation in male and female PTSD patients and trauma-exposed controls.
Eur Neuropsychopharmacol
; 29(1): 147-155, 2019 01.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-30415783
ABSTRACT
Oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) DNA-methylation levels have been associated with trauma-exposure, mood- and anxiety disorders, and social processes relevant to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We hypothesized that OXTR methylation may play a role in the neurobiological underpinnings of PTSD. In the current study, we compared OXTR methylation between PTSD patients (nâ¯=â¯31, 14 females) and trauma-exposed controls (nâ¯=â¯36, 19 females). Additionally, the association between OXTR methylation and PTSD symptom severity and amygdala reactivity to an emotional faces task was assessed, as a neural hallmark of PTSD. DNA-methylation was investigated in the CpG island located at exon 3 of the OXTR, previously associated with OXTR expression. We observed a significant interaction between PTSD-status, sex and CpG-position on methylation levels. Post-hoc testing revealed that methylation levels at two specific CpG-sites were significantly higher in PTSD females compared to female trauma-exposed controls and PTSD males (CpGs Chr38809437, Chr38809413). No significant differences in methylation were observed between male PTSD patients and controls. Furthermore, within PTSD females, methylation in these CpG-sites was positively associated with anhedonia symptoms and with left amygdala responses to negative emotional faces, although this was no longer significant after stringent correction for multiple-comparisons. Though the modest size of the current sample is an important limitation, we are the first to report on OXTR methylation in PTSD, replicating previously observed (sex-specific) associations of OXTR methylation with other psychiatric disorders.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático
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Caracteres Sexuales
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Receptores de Oxitocina
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Metilación de ADN
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Trauma Psicológico
Tipo de estudio:
Observational_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Female
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Humans
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Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Eur Neuropsychopharmacol
Asunto de la revista:
PSICOFARMACOLOGIA
Año:
2019
Tipo del documento:
Article