Dissecting the molecular mechanisms of gene x environment interactions: implications for diagnosis and treatment of stress-related psychiatric disorders

Abstract

Epidemiological studies indicate a combined contribution of genetic and environmental factors, mainly exposure to adverse life events, in the risk for psychiatric disease. Understanding how adverse life events interact with genetic predisposition on the molecular level to shape risk and resilience to psychiatric disorders may yield important insight into disease mechanism. Using the example of the molecular mechanisms of interaction of functional genetic variants within the stress-regulating gene FKBP5 and early adversity, it is delineated how this interaction could contribute to transdiagnostic disease risk via a combined genetic and epigenetic disinhibition of FKBP5 transcription. This knowledge may now allow to develop biomarkers for a transdiagnostic subset of psychiatric patients and to personalize treatment.