Depression among adolescents is a growing concern, with one in five U.S. teens aged 12-18 experiencing at least one major depressive episode. Early life stress (ELS), which includes experiences of adversity and trauma during childhood, is a major risk factor for developing depression. ELS can cause lasting changes in how genes are expressed, increasing the risk of depression and other health issues later in life. These effects might not show up immediately but can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life, making it crucial to identify those at risk as early as possible.

Epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation (DNAm) and microRNAs (miRNAs), are important mechanisms that link ELS to changes in gene expression. Because DNAm levels can change over time, studying these changes provides more accurate predictions about the effects of ELS than single-time-point assessments. Research on animals and some human studies show that miRNAs are also involved in how ELS can lead to depression, and that DNAm might control miRNA expression. While these findings give us important clues about how ELS affects gene expression, research is still limited, often focusing on only a small number of miRNAs. The absence of comprehensive data means we do not have reliable biomarkers to predict who is at risk for depression, making early and effective intervention more challenging.
In this project, we will examine how early life stress influences multiple epigenetic mechanisms and how these mechanically systems interact with each other, contributing synergistically to the risk of developing depression.