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Epigenetic Effects of Psychoactive Drugs

  • SUNY Buffalo
  • Western University of Health Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Currently, and globally, we are facing the worst epidemic of psychoactive drug abuse resulting in the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives annually. Besides alcohol and opioid use and misuse, there has been an increase in illicit abuse of psychostimulants. Epigenetics is a relatively novel area of research that studies herita-ble alterations in gene expression. Long-term administration of psychoactive drugs may lead to transcriptional changes in brain regions related to drug-seeking behaviors and rewards that can be passed down transgeneratio-nally. Epigenetic biomarkers such as DNA methylation and histone modifications contribute to disease diagnos-es. This review aims to look at the epigenetic modifications brought forth by psychoactive drug abuse.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2124-2139
Number of pages16
JournalCurrent Pharmaceutical Design
Volume29
Issue number27
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023

Keywords

  • DNA methylation
  • Epigenetics
  • epigenetic biomarkers
  • histone modifications
  • psychoactive drugs
  • transgenerational

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