Psychiatr. praxi. 2015;16(2):45-48

Mental disorders - epigenetic mechanisms in their etiology and pharmacotherapy

prof.MUDr.Ladislav Hosák, Ph.D.¹, RNDr.Aleš Kovařík, CSc.², MUDr.Bc.Libor Ustohal, Ph.D.^3,4, doc.MUDr.Klára Látalová, Ph.D.⁵

¹ Psychiatrická klinika, Univerzita Karlova v Praze, Lékařská fakulta v Hradci Králové a Fakultní nemocnice Hradec Králové

² Laboratoř molekulární epigenetiky, Biofyzikální ústav Akademie věd České republiky, Brno

³ Psychiatrická klinika, Masarykova Univerzita v Brně, Lékařská fakulta a Fakultní nemocnice Brno

⁴ Centrum neurověd, Středoevropský technologický institut Masarykovy univerzity (CEITEC MU), Brno

⁵ Psychiatrická klinika, Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci, Lékařská fakulta a Fakultní nemocnice Olomouc

At the end of the 1990s, the human genome was firstly read. However, this scientific success brought more questions than answers.

Many ambiguities are related to the mechanisms of DNA control, i.e. epigenetics, especially as of the non-coding DNA. Four epigenetic

mechanisms are important in humans – DNA methylation, histone chemical modifications, regulation by the non-coding RNA and ATP-

-dependent chromatine re-modelling. It was found that epigenetic mechanisms are associated with etiopathogenesis of many mental

disorders as well as their recent psychopharmacotherapy with regard to antipsychotics, antidepressants and mood stabilizers. Till now,

epigenetic research has only been performed on biological tissues in vitro, research animals and brains of deceased persons, formerly

suffering from a mental disorder. It is necessary to start epigenetic investigations in living mentally ill subjects treated with psychotropics.

Newly synthesized psychotropic medication acting via epigenetic pathways may become a new hope for our patients.

Keywords: dementia, schizophrenia, depression, psychotropic drugs, epigenetics

Published: May 18, 2015  Show citation