Epigenetics and Perinatal Depression

Adversity in early life has been associated with consequent altered behaviors or mental disorders during adulthood. Similar observations occur in the intrauterine environment that can disturb the neurodevelopment of the fetus. A particular example of this phenomenon is seen in infants of mothers who experience depression during pregnancy, who seem to be more prone to have emotional disturbances throughout life. The interaction between environmental factors and a genetic predisposition could be an explanation to the association between perinatal depression and psychological symptoms in the offspring. In this regard, it is essential to consider the epigenetic changes that occur in the complex interaction between environment, genetic factors and mood disorders during pre-natal life. It has been observed that epigenetic modifications play a central role as a mediator in the fetal programming of adult health. The aim of our study is to present an updated review of the data regarding epigenetic modifications in specific regions of candidate genes for perinatal depression.