Neuroepigenetics

Neuroepigenetic Mechanisms
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Neuroepigenetic mechanisms alter gene expression in a highly regulated manner, allowing for neuronal plasticity.

Gene regulation plays an integral role in cell survival and function. Cells in the human body use epigenetic markers to regulate gene expression which are later inherited by their daughter cells through cell division; these processes allow for rapid adaptation to changes in the environment. These epigenetic mechanisms involve modifications made to chromatin and histone structures which ultimately result in the variable expression of genes. It was initially believed that neurons did not undergo these epigenetic processes due to their highly differentiated and post-mitotic nature; however, recent research now challenges this definition of epigenetics as numerous studies display evidence of epigenetic mechanisms in neurons as well. It is now known that there are many ways a neuron can utilize epigenetic markers to regulate its gene expression. The primary epigenetic mechanisms include DNA methylation / demethylation and acetylation / deacetylation. These neuroepigenetic markers work by adding the respective chemical groups onto specific DNA nucleotides to achieve a local, gene specific regulation, or it can act on histones to achieve a global, chromosome wide regulation. Though the addition of a chemical group seems to be the most direct and important method to regulate genes, the effective removal of these groups is what allows neuron to be plastic and have the ability to change its gene expression based on neuronal activity and environmental pressures. While these “plastic” epigenetic mechanisms are important for gene expression in neural cells, it is of equal importance to consider the strategies adopted by cells to regulate these mechanisms. With this in mind, a lot of current research examines the two major epigenetic mechanisms, DNA methylation and histone acetylation and the involvement of these processes in memory formation and consolidation, the regulation of these mechanisms and their involvement in several neurological and neurodegenerative diseases such as Rett’s Syndrome.[1,2]

Bibliography
1. Sweatt, J.D. (2013). The emerging field of neuroepigenetics. Neuron. 80: 624-632.
2. Day, J. J., & Sweatt, J. D. (2010). DNA methylation and memory formation. Nature Neuroscience, 13(11), 1319–1323.


Regulation of Neuroepigenetic Mechanisms

main article: Regulation of Neuroepigenetic Mechanisms
author: Aaron Vincent

Neuroepigenetic Mechanisms
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Neuroepigenetic mechanisms alter gene expression in a highly regulated manner, allowing for neuronal plasticity.

Neuroepigenetics is a newly-emerging field in neurobiology that is altering the general understanding of the traditional views of heritable epigenetic mechanisms. From a classical viewpoint, epigenetic mechanisms are involved in the heritable modifications of chromatin and histone structures which ultimately result in the variable expression of genes. However, following the recent discovery of these mechanisms in the highly differentiated, post-mitotic neurons of the brain, it became necessary to reconsider the heritability of these epigenetic mechanisms in neurons. While these “plastic” epigenetic mechanisms are important for gene expression in the central nervous system (CNS), it is of equal importance to consider the strategies adopted by cells to regulate these mechanisms. With this in mind, a lot of current research examines the two major epigenetic mechanisms, DNA methylation and histone acetylation, as well as the processes through which these mechanisms are regulated.[1] In addition, the numerous neuroepigenetic mechanisms described have also been implicated in several neurological and neurodegenerative diseases such as Rett’s Syndrome.[2]

Bibliography
1. Sweatt, J.D. (2013). The emerging field of neuroepigenetics. Neuron. 80: 624-632.
2. Jakovcevski, M. & Akbarian, S. (2012). Epigenetic mechanisms in neurological disease. Nature Medicine. 18: 1194–204.



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