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Updated: Apr 10, 2026

Dynamic Clamp Methods to Investigate Impaired Neuronal Excitability Associated with Autism
Published on: October 17, 2025
An update on the epigenetics of psychotic diseases and autism
Hamid Mostafavi Abdolmaleky1,2, Jin-Rong Zhou2, Sam Thiagalingam1,3
1Departments of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics Section), Genetics & Genomics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
Abstract:
The examination of potential roles of epigenetic alterations in the pathogenesis of psychotic diseases have become an essential alternative in recent years as genetic studies alone are yet to uncover major gene(s) for psychosis. Here, we describe the current state of knowledge from the gene-specific and genome-wide studies of postmortem brain and blood cells indicating that aberrant DNA methylation, histone modifications and dysregulation of micro-RNAs are linked to the pathogenesis of mental diseases. There is also strong evidence supporting that all classes of psychiatric drugs modulate diverse features of the epigenome. While comprehensive environmental and genetic/epigenetic studies are uncovering the origins, and the key genes/pathways affected in psychotic diseases, characterizing the epigenetic effects of psychiatric drugs may help to design novel therapies in psychiatry.
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