Perceived Parental Support and Psychological Control, DNA Methylation, and Loneliness: Longitudinal Associations Across Early Adolescence

Koopmans, Yentl; Nelemans, Stefanie A.; Bosmans, Guy; Van Den Noortgate, Wim; Van Leeuwen, Karla; Goossens, Luc

doi:10.1007/s10964-023-01822-6

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…A recent human study likewise revealed significant association between loneliness and methylation in stress related BDNF and the glucocorticoid receptor gene. 156 …”

Section: Epigenetics and Lonelinessmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A recent human study likewise revealed significant association between loneliness and methylation in stress related BDNF and the glucocorticoid receptor gene. 156 Early life stress (ELS) triggers complex neurochemical processes that influence interconnected neurophysiopathology, including behaviors associated with addiction and a sense of loneliness. 157,158 Rats exposed to maternal separation stress (MS), a model of ELS, displayed a threefold increase in ethanol consumption over a three-week period, along with a significant reduction in dopaminergic ventral tegmental area neurons positive for tyrosine hydroxylase.…”

Section: Epigenetics and Lonelinessmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Neurogenetics and Epigenetics of Loneliness

Bowirrat,

Elman,

Dennen

et al. 2023

PRBM

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Loneliness, an established risk factor for both, mental and physical morbidity, is a mounting public health concern. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying loneliness-related morbidity are not yet well defined. Here we examined the role of genes and associated DNA risk polymorphic variants that are implicated in loneliness via genetic and epigenetic mechanisms and may thus point to specific therapeutic targets. Searches were conducted on PubMed, Medline, and EMBASE databases using specific Medical Subject Headings terms such as loneliness and genes, neuro- and epigenetics, addiction, affective disorders, alcohol, anti-reward, anxiety, depression, dopamine, cancer, cardiovascular, cognitive, hypodopaminergia, medical, motivation, (neuro)psychopathology, social isolation, and reward deficiency. The narrative literature review yielded recursive collections of scientific and clinical evidence, which were subsequently condensed and summarized in the following key areas: (1) Genetic Antecedents: Exploration of multiple genes mediating reward, stress, immunity and other important vital functions; (2) Genes and Mental Health: Examination of genes linked to personality traits and mental illnesses providing insights into the intricate network of interaction converging on the experience of loneliness; (3) Epigenetic Effects: Inquiry into instances of loneliness and social isolation that are driven by epigenetic methylations associated with negative childhood experiences; and (4) Neural Correlates: Analysis of loneliness-related affective states and cognitions with a focus on hypodopaminergic reward deficiency arising in the context of early life stress, eg, maternal separation, underscoring the importance of parental support early in life. Identification of the individual contributions by various (epi)genetic factors presents opportunities for the creation of innovative preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic approaches for individuals who cope with persistent feelings of loneliness. The clinical facets and therapeutic prospects associated with the current understanding of loneliness, are discussed emphasizing the relevance of genes and DNA risk polymorphic variants in the context of loneliness-related morbidity.

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“…A recent human study likewise revealed significant association between loneliness and methylation in stress related BDNF and the glucocorticoid receptor gene. 156 …”

Section: Epigenetics and Lonelinessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Epigenetics and Lonelinessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurogenetics and Epigenetics of Loneliness

Bowirrat,

Elman,

Dennen

et al. 2023

PRBM

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Lore Vankerckhoven Receives Emerging Scholar Best Article Award, 2024

Levesque

2024

J. Youth Adolescence

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Epigenome-wide association study of loneliness in a sample of U.S. middle-aged twins

Beam,

Bakulski,

Zandi

et al. 2024

Epigenetics

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Loneliness is a complex human trait that is highly polygenic and found to affect gene expression related to inflammatory and immunological functioning. To date, no epigenome-wide association studies of loneliness have tested whether differentially methylated sites are annotated to genes associated with inflammatory and immunological processes. Using 281 individual adult twins’ DNA methylation data from the Louisville Twin Study, we performed an epigenome-wide analysis of loneliness to address this gap in the literature. In the discovery analysis, 169 twins were used to prioritize probes and test associations with DNA methylation age acceleration, and 56 independent monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs (112 individuals) were used in a within-family replication analysis. Among the 837,274 sites analyzed, no probe sites were statistically significant at the genome-wide level ( p < 5.97 × 10 −8 ), but 25 suggestive sites ( p < 5 × 10 −5 ) were annotated to genes related to various biological processes, including inflammatory response and protein-binding functions that extend prior findings. The nominal associations at these suggestive probe sites were highly correlated ( r = .72) between the discovery sample and the MZ pair replication sample. Finally, loneliness significantly correlated with the DunedinPACE DNA methylation measure, suggesting that higher levels of loneliness were associated with accelerated epigenetic age as quantified by a measure that indexes longitudinal changes across multiple organ systems.

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Perceived Parental Support and Psychological Control, DNA Methylation, and Loneliness: Longitudinal Associations Across Early Adolescence

Cited by 5 publications

References 71 publications

Neurogenetics and Epigenetics of Loneliness

Neurogenetics and Epigenetics of Loneliness

Lore Vankerckhoven Receives Emerging Scholar Best Article Award, 2024

Epigenome-wide association study of loneliness in a sample of U.S. middle-aged twins

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