Study of the clinical application of the epigenetic hypothesis in abused children

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23591716
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: IMAMURA Akira 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(医学系), 准教授 (40325642)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NARITA Minoru 星薬科大学, 薬学科, 教授 (40318613) ; KUROTAKI Naohiro 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(医学系), 講師 (20423634) ; OZAWA Hiroki 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(医学系), 教授 (50260766)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 児童虐待 / エピジェネティクス / 被虐待児 / DNAメチル化 / 反応性愛着障害 / アタッチメント / 発達障害 / 神経発達症群

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Differential diagnosis of children abused during early life and children with neurodevelopmental disorders is sometimes difficult. Treatment of these children is often very difficult because there may not only be psychological damage but also epigenetic changes.To improve the diagnosis and treatment of abused children, we planned to examine abused children and two sex-and-age-matched groups, which included children with neurodevelopmental disorders and normal children to assess the epigenetic changes in the genes, such as the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1), which may be related to child abuse.We have not detected any epigenetic differences between abused children and other children yet. We will continue this study trying to increase the number of subjects.

Free Research Field

精神科遺伝学