Intern
    Research Training Group RTG 1253/2 (Emotions)

    Karla-Gerlinde Schraut

    Dr. Karla-Gerlinde Schraut

    Associated member: July 2011 - June 2014

    Dissertation title:

    Effects of prenatal stress on the epigenetic programming in mice deficient for the serotonin transporter

    Abstract: Mood disorders are thought to have a multi-causal origin and it has been suggested, that their pathogeneses involve an interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Early life stress is such an environmental factor, since it can alter stress susceptibility and influence the risk for psychiatric disorders in adulthood. Prenatal stress (PS) for example is associated with an increased risk for developing an anxiety disorder or depression later in life. A  polymorphism  in  the  gene  encoding  the  human serotonin  transporter  (5-HTT),  the  lynchpin  of  central  serotonergic  transmission,  has been  linked  to anxiety- and depression-related personality traits and it may modulate the influence of early life stress on the risk of developing mood disorders. The molecular mechanisms by which this gene x environment (GxE) interaction is conferred are unknown, recent findings, however, point to epigenetic modifications as possible key mechanisms by which a GxE interaction exerts its influence on gene expression. In our study, we use a 5-Htt x PS paradigm to investigate whether the effects of PS are dependent on the 5-Htt genotype and if those effects are mediated by epigenetic mechanism, e.g. DNA methylation or histone modifications.

    Principal investigator:

    Prof. Dr. Klaus-Peter Lesch

    Prof. Dr. Charlotte Förster

    Dr. Daniel van den Hove

    Current position:

    Max-Planck-Insitut für Psychiarie
    München