Epidemiologic study on epigenetics related to BDNF for primary and secondary prevention of depression in the elderly

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24590820
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Public health/Health science
• Research Institution: Toho University
• Principal Investigator: IHARA Kazushige 東邦大学, 医学部, 講師 (10266083)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MORINOBU Shigeru 高知大学, 医歯学系, 教授 (30191042) ; YOSHIDA Hideyo 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 研究部長 (00242735) ; OBUCHI Shuichi 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 研究副部長 (50265740)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 疫学 / 大うつ病性障害 / うつ尺度 / 地域精神保健 / 脳由来神経栄養因子（BDNF) / エピジェネティクス / メチル化障害 / 後期高齢者

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Primary and secondary prevention of depression among the elderly is a crucial challenge of public health services. The purpose of this study is to investigate a role of epigenetics in the pathology of depressive disorders among the elderly and to develop a biological screening tool for depression using epigenetic methods. Our cross-sectional study explored that methylation rates of some CpG units at the promoters of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene were higher in elderly persons with major depressive disorder than in healthy controls.

Free Research Field

公衆衛生学