Cunliffe, V.T. orcid.org/0000-0001-7483-7610 (2016) The epigenetic impacts of social stress: how does social adversity become biologically embedded? Epigenomics, 8 (12). pp. 1653-1669. ISSN 1750-1911
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms are implicated in the processes through which social stressors erode health in humans and other animals. Here I review progress in elucidating the biological pathways underlying the social gradient in health, with particular emphasis on how behavioral stresses influence epigenomic variation linked to health. The evidence that epigenetic changes are involved in embedding of social status-linked chronic stress is reviewed in the context of current knowledge about behavior within animal dominance hierarchies and the impacts of social position on behaviors that affect health. The roles of epigenetic mechanisms in responses to trauma and the evidence for their involvement in intergenerational transmission of the biological impacts of traumatic stress are also considered. Taken together, the emerging insights have important implications for development of strategies to improve societal health and well-being.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © Vincent T Cunliffe. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 which permits any use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are credited. To view a copy of the license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
Keywords: | DNA methylation; behavior; epigenetics; health; life course; psychosocial stress |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > School of Biosciences (Sheffield) > Department of Biomedical Science (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 11 Jan 2017 09:22 |
Last Modified: | 11 Jan 2017 09:24 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.2217/epi-2016-0075 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Future Medicine |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.2217/epi-2016-0075 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:110032 |