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Updated: Mar 10, 2026
Optimized Analysis of DNA Methylation and Gene Expression from Small, Anatomically-defined Areas of the Brain
Published on: July 12, 2012
Cord Blood DNA Methylation Biomarkers for Predicting Neurodevelopmental Outcomes
Nicolette A Hodyl1,2,3, Claire T Roberts4,5, Tina Bianco-Miotto6,7
1Department of Neonatal Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide 5006, Australia. nicolette.hodyl@adelaide.edu.au.
Insights
Environmental exposures during pregnancy can affect fetal development and child neurodevelopment. DNA methylation in cord blood may serve as a biomarker for identifying infants at risk of neurodevelopmental issues.
Area of Science:
- Environmental epigenetics
- Developmental neurobiology
- Maternal health
Background:
- Adverse environmental exposures during pregnancy can negatively impact fetal development.
- These exposures may lead to epigenetic alterations, such as DNA methylation.
- DNA methylation in cord blood is being investigated as a potential marker for neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Epigenetic biomarkers, specifically DNA methylation, show promise in identifying infants at risk due to prenatal exposures.
- Further research with larger cohorts and longer follow-up is needed.
- Epigenetic biomarkers could help identify at-risk individuals even without detailed prenatal exposure data.
Abstract:
Adverse environmental exposures in pregnancy can significantly alter the development of the fetus resulting in impaired child neurodevelopment. Such exposures can lead to epigenetic alterations like DNA methylation, which may be a marker of poor cognitive, motor and behavioral outcomes in the infant. Here we review studies that have assessed DNA methylation in cord blood following maternal exposures that may impact neurodevelopment of the child. We also highlight some key studies to illustrate the potential for DNA methylation to successfully identify infants at risk for poor outcomes. While the current evidence is limited, in that observations to date are largely correlational, in time and with larger cohorts analyzed and longer term follow-up completed, we may be able to develop epigenetic biomarkers that not only indicate adverse early life exposures but can also be used to identify individuals likely to be at an increased risk of impaired neurodevelopment even in the absence of detailed information regarding prenatal environment.
