Epigenetics: Can we transform our future?

Gene-environment interactions in the serotonergic system is an example of just one of the multiple neural signalling pathways that are affected in neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders.

Dauncey, M.J. Genomic and Epigenomic Insights into Nutrition and Brain Disorders. Nutrients 2013, 5, 887-914.

The Barcelona Brain Health Initiative (BBHI) will investigate if an individualized multi-dimensional intervention program can enhance cognitive functions and reduce the incidence of new future diagnoses. 

Cattaneo G, Bartrés-Faz D, Morris TP, Sánchez JS, Macià D, Tarrero C, Tormos JM and Pascual-Leone A (2018) The Barcelona Brain Health Initiative: A Cohort Study to Define and Promote Determinants of Brain Health. Front. Aging Neurosci. 10:321. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2018.00321

A novel epigenetic clock, termed DNAm GrimAge has outperformed its predecessors in predicting the risk of mortality as well as a number of age-related morbidities. Higher DNAm GrimAge associates with lower cognitive ability and brain vascular lesions in older age, independently of early life cognitive ability. 

Robert F. Hillary, Anna J. Stevenson, Simon R. Cox, Daniel L. McCartney, Sarah E. Harris, Anne Seeboth, Jon Higham, Duncan Sproul, Adele M. Taylor, Paul Redmond, Janie Corley, Alison Pattie, Maria del. C Valdés Hernández, Susana Muñoz-Maniega, Mark E. Bastin, Joanna M. Wardlaw, Steve Horvath, Craig W. Ritchie, Tara L. Spires-Jones, Andrew M. McIntosh, Kathryn L. Evans, Ian J. Deary, Riccardo E. Marioni. An epigenetic predictor of death captures multi-modal measures of brain health. bioRxiv 703504; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/703504

Result show a link between accelerated biological ageing and generalised lower scores in measures of crystallised intelligence (National Adult Reading Test and Verbal Fluency) in older age. In addition, higher scores on cognitive ability tests are capturing a systemic level of good functioning rather than isolated brain efficiency.

Anna J. Stevenson, Daniel L. McCartney, Robert F. Hillary, Paul Redmond, Adele M. Taylor, Qian Zhang, Allan F. McRae, Tara L. Spires-Jones, Andrew M. McIntosh, Ian J. Deary, Riccardo E. Marioni. Childhood intelligence attenuates the association between biological ageing and health outcomes in later. bioRxiv 588293; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/588293

Deary IJ. Looking for ‘system integrity’ in cognitive epidemiology. Gerontology. 2012;58(6):545–53