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Epigenetics

Stressed for life

Nature Reviews Neuroscience volume 10, page 836 (2009)Cite this article

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As in previous studies, daily 3-hour separation of mouse pups from their mother persistently altered the offspring's hormonal and behavioural responses to stress; this included elevated Avp mRNA levels in the hypothalamus. Importantly, treatment with an AVP V1b receptor antagonist reversed the mice's increased stress responses and impaired memory, indicating a central role for AVP in the ELS phenotype.

Investigating how ELS might increase hypothalamic Avp expression, the authors found that the Avp enhancer region was persistently hypomethylated at five CpG residues in hypothalamus tissue of ELS mice, and that methylation levels correlated negatively with Avp mRNA levels.

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References

ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER

  1. Murgatroyd, C. et al. Dynamic DNA methylation programs persistent adverse effects of early-life stress. Nature Neurosci. 8 Nov 2009 (doi: 10.1038/nn.2436)

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FURTHER READING

  1. Lupien, S. J. et al. Effects of stress throughout the lifespan on the brain, behaviour and cognition. Nature Rev. Neurosci. 10, 434–445 (2009)

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Authors
  1. Leonie Welberg
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Welberg, L. Stressed for life. Nat Rev Neurosci 10, 836 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2768

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2768

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