Differential DNA Methylation Is Associated With Hippocampal Abnormalities in Pediatric Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract

Background: Recent findings in neuroimaging and epigenetics offer important insights into brain structures and biological pathways of altered gene expression associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, it is unknown to what extent epigenetic mechanisms are associated with PTSD and its neurobiology in youth. Methods: In this study, we combined a methylome-wide association study and structural neuroimaging measures in a Dutch cohort of youths with PTSD (8–18 years of age). We aimed to replicate findings in a similar independent U.S. cohort. Results: We found significant methylome-wide associations for pediatric PTSD (false discovery rate p