Association between different dimensions of childhood traumatization and plasma micro-RNA levels in a clinical psychiatric sample. (July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Van der Auwera, Sandra; Ameling, Sabine; Nauck, Matthias; Völzke, Henry; Völker, Uwe; Grabe, Hans J.
• Is Part Of: Journal of psychiatric research. Volume 139(2021)
• Page Start: 113
• Page End: 119
• Publication Date: 2021-07
• Subjects: miRNA -- Childhood traumatization -- Alzheimer's disease -- Epigenetic factors -- Depression -- Psychiatric sample; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Mental Disorders -- Periodicals; Maladies mentales -- Périodiques; Psychiatry; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 616.89005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.05.023
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-3956

Abstract

Abstract: As an epigenetic regulator micro-RNAs (miRNAs) have gained increasing attention in biomarker research for diseases. Many studies point towards an involvement of miRNAs in neuropsychiatric disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease, schizophrenia or depression. In a recent study we identified a possible relationship between childhood traumatization and miRNAs associated with Alzheimer's Disease in the general population as well as in a small psychiatric clinical sample. In this study we aimed to confirm this biological link in an independent psychiatric clinical sample (N = 104) and to also explore the impact of different childhood trauma dimensions (sum score, abuse dimension and neglect dimension). Analyses revealed their different impact on disease in the combined sample (N = 154; N = 50 from the recent study). We could confirm associations for all of the four recently identified miRNAs in the replication sample (N = 104) on a suggested significance level of p < 0.08 (two with p < 0.05). In the combined sample (N = 154) fifteen miRNAs were significantly associated with the childhood trauma sum score after correction for multiple testing. Most of them showed recently significant associations for Alzheimer's Disease. For the subscores of abuse and neglect only one miRNA was identified in addition, associated with childhood neglect. Bioinformatics analysis identified significant brain-related pathways regulated by the respective miRNAs. At the time of publication our study is the largest study of the association between childhood trauma and miRNAs in a clinical psychiatric sample. The confirmation of our previous results supports the relevance of the association between childhood traumatization and Alzheimer's Disease through miRNA regulation of brain-related pathways. Highlights: Three miRNAs associated with childhood traumatization from a recent paper were replicated. In our clinical psychiatric samples miRNAs were associated with childhood traumatization. The same miRNAs are also associated with Alzheimer's Disease in previous studies. Different miRNAs are associated with childhood abuse and neglect.