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The Role of Epigenetics in the Raised Incidence Rates of Psychoses Among Migrant Groups

The Role of Epigenetics in the Raised Incidence Rates of Psychoses Among Migrant Groups I appreciate the article by Coid et al1 in which they reported raised incidence rates of psychotic illness in all minority groups compared with the white British population in an area of inner London, England. They invoked the stress-vulnerability model to explain their findings. They suggested that socioenvironmental stressors faced by the migrant groups in their adopted country could have contributed to the pathogenesis of psychosis in these groups. They suggested that other hypotheses for explaining the higher incidence of psychosis in migrant groups, such as selective migration of prepsychotic individuals, and higher rates of psychosis in the immigrants' countries of origin are likely to be incorrect. They also suggested that a predominantly genetic explanation of increased incidence of psychosis among immigrant groups is likely to be incorrect. I wish to discuss the possible role of a field not mentioned by Coid et al, epigenetics, in the raised incidence rates of psychoses among the migrant groups. Epigenetics refers to the study of heritable changes in gene expression without any change in DNA sequence and there is increasing evidence that it plays a major role in the pathogenesis of mental disorders.2 Epigenetics involves at least 3 interacting molecular mechanisms: DNA methylation, histone modification, and RNA-mediated regulation of gene expression.2 Epigenetic mechanisms are known to be influenced by environmental inputs and there is accumulating evidence that the social environment can influence epigenetic mechanisms.3 Thus, socioenvironmental factors influencing the expression of susceptibility genes by epigenetic mechanisms may help explain the raised incidence of psychosis among the migrant groups studied by Coid and colleagues. In fact, recently, I gave evidence supporting the hypothesis that epigenetic mechanisms underlie the increased risk for psychosis among migrants.4 This would suggest that comparing the epigenetic patterns of affected and unaffected subjects among the migrant and native groups may be a good topic for future research. Correspondence: Dr Peedicayil, Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Christian Medical College, Vellore 632 002, India (jpeedi@cmcvellore.ac.in). Financial Disclosure: None reported. References 1. Coid JWKirkbride JBBarker DCowden FStamps RYang MJones PB Raised incidence rates of all psychoses among migrant groups: findings from the East London first episode psychosis study. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2008;65 (11) 1250- 1258PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref 2. Peedicayil J The role of epigenetics in mental disorders. Indian J Med Res 2007;126 (2) 105- 111PubMedGoogle Scholar 3. Szyf M McGowan PMeaney MJ The social environment and the epigenome. Environ Mol Mutagen 2008;49 (1) 46- 60PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref 4. Peedicayil J Epigenetic mechanisms may underlie the increased risk for psychosis among immigrants. Med Hypotheses 2008;70 (1) 211PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Archives of General Psychiatry American Medical Association

The Role of Epigenetics in the Raised Incidence Rates of Psychoses Among Migrant Groups

Archives of General Psychiatry , Volume 66 (5) – May 1, 2009

The Role of Epigenetics in the Raised Incidence Rates of Psychoses Among Migrant Groups

Abstract

I appreciate the article by Coid et al1 in which they reported raised incidence rates of psychotic illness in all minority groups compared with the white British population in an area of inner London, England. They invoked the stress-vulnerability model to explain their findings. They suggested that socioenvironmental stressors faced by the migrant groups in their adopted country could have contributed to the pathogenesis of psychosis in these groups. They suggested that other hypotheses for...
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References (4)

Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
0003-990X
eISSN
1598-3636
DOI
10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2009.28
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

I appreciate the article by Coid et al1 in which they reported raised incidence rates of psychotic illness in all minority groups compared with the white British population in an area of inner London, England. They invoked the stress-vulnerability model to explain their findings. They suggested that socioenvironmental stressors faced by the migrant groups in their adopted country could have contributed to the pathogenesis of psychosis in these groups. They suggested that other hypotheses for explaining the higher incidence of psychosis in migrant groups, such as selective migration of prepsychotic individuals, and higher rates of psychosis in the immigrants' countries of origin are likely to be incorrect. They also suggested that a predominantly genetic explanation of increased incidence of psychosis among immigrant groups is likely to be incorrect. I wish to discuss the possible role of a field not mentioned by Coid et al, epigenetics, in the raised incidence rates of psychoses among the migrant groups. Epigenetics refers to the study of heritable changes in gene expression without any change in DNA sequence and there is increasing evidence that it plays a major role in the pathogenesis of mental disorders.2 Epigenetics involves at least 3 interacting molecular mechanisms: DNA methylation, histone modification, and RNA-mediated regulation of gene expression.2 Epigenetic mechanisms are known to be influenced by environmental inputs and there is accumulating evidence that the social environment can influence epigenetic mechanisms.3 Thus, socioenvironmental factors influencing the expression of susceptibility genes by epigenetic mechanisms may help explain the raised incidence of psychosis among the migrant groups studied by Coid and colleagues. In fact, recently, I gave evidence supporting the hypothesis that epigenetic mechanisms underlie the increased risk for psychosis among migrants.4 This would suggest that comparing the epigenetic patterns of affected and unaffected subjects among the migrant and native groups may be a good topic for future research. Correspondence: Dr Peedicayil, Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Christian Medical College, Vellore 632 002, India (jpeedi@cmcvellore.ac.in). Financial Disclosure: None reported. References 1. Coid JWKirkbride JBBarker DCowden FStamps RYang MJones PB Raised incidence rates of all psychoses among migrant groups: findings from the East London first episode psychosis study. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2008;65 (11) 1250- 1258PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref 2. Peedicayil J The role of epigenetics in mental disorders. Indian J Med Res 2007;126 (2) 105- 111PubMedGoogle Scholar 3. Szyf M McGowan PMeaney MJ The social environment and the epigenome. Environ Mol Mutagen 2008;49 (1) 46- 60PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref 4. Peedicayil J Epigenetic mechanisms may underlie the increased risk for psychosis among immigrants. Med Hypotheses 2008;70 (1) 211PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref

Journal

Archives of General PsychiatryAmerican Medical Association

Published: May 1, 2009

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