@article {5925, title = {Epigenetic Alterations Associated with War Trauma and Childhood Maltreatment}, journal = {Behav Sci Law}, volume = {33}, number = {5}, year = {2015}, note = {1099-0798
Ramo-Fernandez, Laura
Schneider, Anna
Wilker, Sarah
Kolassa, Iris-Tatjana
Journal Article
Review
United States
Behav Sci Law. 2015 Oct;33(5):701-21. doi: 10.1002/bsl.2200. Epub 2015 Sep 11.}, month = {Oct}, pages = {701-21}, edition = {2015/09/12}, abstract = {Survivors of war trauma or childhood maltreatment are at increased risk for trauma-spectrum disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In addition, traumatic stress has been associated with alterations in the neuroendocrine and the immune system, enhancing the risk for physical diseases. Traumatic experiences might even affect psychological as well as biological parameters in the next generation, i.e. traumatic stress might have transgenerational effects. This article outlines how epigenetic processes, which represent a pivotal biological mechanism for dynamic adaptation to environmental challenges, might contribute to the explanation of the long-lasting and transgenerational effects of trauma. In particular, epigenetic alterations in genes regulating the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis as well as the immune system have been observed in survivors of childhood and adult trauma. These changes could result in enduring alterations of the stress response as well as the physical health risk. Furthermore, the effects of parental trauma could be transmitted to the next generation by parental distress and the pre- and postnatal environment, as well as by epigenetic marks transmitted via the germline. While epigenetic research has a high potential of advancing our understanding of the consequences of trauma, the findings have to be interpreted with caution, as epigenetics only represent one piece of a complex puzzle of interacting biological and environmental factors. Copyright (c) 2015 John Wiley \& Sons, Ltd.}, keywords = {*Child Abuse, *Warfare, Adult, Child, Epigenesis, Genetic, Epigenomics, Humans, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Pituitary-Adrenal System, Risk Factors, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/*genetics/psychology}, isbn = {0735-3936}, doi = {10.1002/bsl.2200}, author = {Ramo-Fernandez, L. and Schneider, A. and Wilker, S. and Kolassa, I. T.} }