Genomic and Epigenomic Insights into Nutrition and Brain Disorders

Abstract

Considerable evidence links many neuropsychiatric, neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders with multiple complex interactions between genetics and environmental factors such as nutrition. Mental health problems, autism, eating disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease and brain tumours are related to individual variability in numerous protein-coding and non-coding regions of the genome. However, genotype does not necessarily determine neurological phenotype because the epigenome modulates gene expression in response to endogenous and exogenous regulators, throughout the life-cycle. Studies using both genome-wide analysis of multiple genes and comprehensive analysis of specific genes are providing new insights into genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying nutrition and neuroscience. This review provides a critical evaluation of the following related areas: (1) recent advances in genomic and epigenomic technologies, and their relevance to brain disorders; (2) the emerging role of non-coding RNAs as key regulators of transcription, epigenetic processes and gene silencing; (3) novel approaches to nutrition, epigenetics and neuroscience; (4) gene-environment interactions, especially in the serotonergic system, as a paradigm of the multiple signalling pathways affected in neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. Current and future advances in these four areas should contribute significantly to the prevention, amelioration and treatment of multiple devastating brain disorders.

Effects of Diet on Brain Plasticity in Animal and Human Studies: Mind the Gap

“…Indeed, single nucleotide polymorphisms, copy number variants, modifications to the epigenome as well as the activity of microRNAs, and long noncoding RNAs can all modify the effects of nutrition on gene expression [253]. …”

“…Whilst the precise functions of these miRNAs remain to be elucidated as well as the extent of the influence of the ApoE genotype on modulating the effects of polyphenols on miRNA expression, this type of study clearly demonstrates that diet-gene interaction is yet another important player and requires further investigation [253]. …”

Nutrition, Genes, and Neuroscience

“…Thus, the epigenome provides a critical layer of regulation: nutrition is one of many epigenetic regulators that can modify gene expression and hence phenotypic expression [3,4,30]. These link nutrition with outcome in relation to health or disease.…”

“…Although protein-coding genes are the subject of many functional studies, most of the genome gives rise to ncRNAs that play key roles in development, health, and disease [3,[31][32][33]. Although protein-coding genes are the subject of many functional studies, most of the genome gives rise to ncRNAs that play key roles in development, health, and disease [3,[31][32][33].…”

Splice Variant Biomarkers for Parkinson's Disease

“…Nutrition-gene interactions play a critical role in dysfunction and disease (Dauncey, 2012). Individual differences in genes such as single nucleotide polymorphisms, mutations and copy number variants significantly modify the effects of nutrition on gene expression (Dauncey, 2013).…”