Lead Story:

Epigenome-wide association study on methamphetamine dependence

Addiction Biology

The authors of this study postulate that some of the biologic changes resulting from methamphetamine use may be associated with epigenetic changes from DNA methylation. Such associations have been seen in schizophrenia, mood disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Parkinson’s disease. Subjects with methamphetamine dependence (n=24) as well as age and sex matched controls had an epigenome-wide analysis of DNA methylation and identification of sites where methylation differed between subjects with methamphetamine dependence and controls. Thirteen regions with differential methylation were found. Of particular interest was hypomethylation of the CNOT1 and PUM1 genes leading to alterations in mRNA metabolism similar to those seen in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. These changes relate to symptoms in common such as psychosis. The authors conclude that symptoms seen in methamphetamine dependency may result from genetic changes similar to those in other psychiatric disorders.

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