Brain-derived neurotrophic factor DNA methylation mediates the association between neighborhood disadvantage and adolescent brain structure.

摘要: Abstract Prior research indicates that socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with prefrontal cortical (PFC) development in childhood and adolescence, however the mechanisms of this link are unclear. This study investigated whether DNA methylation brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, which plays a key role synaptic plasticity), mediated association between neighborhood thickness PFC adolescents. Neighborhood was measured 33 adolescents aged 12–13 years using Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas. Buccal swabs, collected during mid-adolescence (aged 16–18 years), enabled BDNF widely studied exon IV promoter region to be measured. Cortical assessed late-adolescence 18–20 years) via T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A significant negative at specific site identified. Lower levels were also significantly greater lateral orbitofrontal cortex (lOFC), right medial OFC. associations higher thinner bilateral lOFC thickness. These novel findings give insight into potential biological mechanism could further our understanding as why brain affected by varying environmental exposures.