Glucocorticoid receptor DNA methylation and childhood trauma in chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Countrygirl

Countrygirl

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29275786



J Psychosom Res. 2018 Jan;104:55-60. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2017.11.011. Epub 2017 Nov 20.
Glucocorticoid receptor DNA methylation and childhood trauma in chronic fatigue syndrome patients.
Vangeel EB1, Kempke S2, Bakusic J3, Godderis L4, Luyten P5, Van Heddegem L6, Compernolle V6, Persoons P7, Lambrechts D8, Izzi B9, Freson K10, Claes S11.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
Although the precise mechanisms are not yet understood, previous studies have suggested that chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation and trauma in early childhood. Consistent with findings suggesting that early life stress-induced DNA methylation changes may underlie dysregulation of the HPA axis, we previously found evidence for the involvement of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene (NR3C1) methylation in whole blood of CFS patients.

METHODS:
In the current study, we assessed NR3C1-1F region DNA methylation status in peripheral blood from a new and independent sample of 80 female CFS patients and 91 female controls. In CFS patients, history of childhood trauma subtypes was evaluated using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire short form (CTQ-SF).

RESULTS:
Although absolute methylation differences were small, the present study confirms our previous findings of NR3C1-1F DNA hypomethylation at several CpG sites in CFS patients as compared to controls. Following multiple testing correction, only CpG_8 remained significant (DNA methylation difference: 1.3% versus 1.5%, p<0.001). In addition, we found associations between DNA methylation and severity of fatigue as well as with childhood emotional abuse in CFS patients, although these findings were not significant after correction for multiple testing.

CONCLUSIONS:
In conclusion, we replicated findings of NR3C1-1F DNA hypomethylation in CFS patients versus controls. Our results support the hypothesis of HPA axis dysregulation and enhanced GR sensitivity in CFS.

Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

KEYWORDS:
Childhood trauma; Chronic fatigue syndrome; DNA methylation; Glucocorticoid receptor; HPA axis; NR3C1

PMID:
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R

RogerBlack

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Well, you can at least say the CTQ-SF is probably better than the ACE - but that's very much damning with faint praise.
http://childhoodtraumarecovery.com/tag/childhood-trauma-questionnaire-short-form/
Childhood Trauma Questionnaire :

Did your parents often demean you, devalue you, swear at you or humiliate you?

Did your parents physically abuse you?

Were you often physically neglected (eg not fed properly, forced to wear dirty clothes, or not taken to the doctor when ill, perhaps because your parents were drunk or under the influence of illicit drugs)?

Did you lose one of your parents during your childhood (eg because of death, divorce, separation abandonment)

Did you often witness your mother/step-mother being subjected to physical abuse?

Did anyone in your household (who was at least five years older than you) ever sexually assault you?

Did you feel you were not close to your family, that they did not support you and that they did not love you or regard you as special?

Did any member of your household go to prison when you were growing up?

Was any member of your household suffering from a mental illness whilst you were growing up (including clinical depression)

Did anyone in your household suffer from an addiction when you were growing up (eg to alcohol or illicit drugs?)

Score one point for each of the questions you answered ‘YES’ to.

(The greater the number of adverse childhood experiences suffered, and the greater the severity of these, the more damaging to psychological development they are likely to have been).
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At least they put
In addition, we found associations between DNA methylation and severity of fatigue as well as with childhood emotional abuse in CFS patients, although these findings were not significant after correction for multiple testing.
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in. It would have been nice if 'lack of effect of childhood trauma' was in the title.

Not sure what to make of the methylation claims.
 
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