DNA methylation changes following narrative exposure therapy in a randomized controlled trial with female former child soldiers
Abstract The aftermath of traumatization lives on in the neural and epigenetic traces creating a momentum of affliction in the psychological and social realm. Can psychotherapy reorganise these memories through changes in DNA methylation signatures? Using a randomised controlled parallel group desig...
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2021-09-01
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doaj-1fa2e2fb4c584ea7a2760c7c527cfd412021-09-19T11:30:56ZengNature Publishing GroupScientific Reports2045-23222021-09-0111111110.1038/s41598-021-98067-9DNA methylation changes following narrative exposure therapy in a randomized controlled trial with female former child soldiersSamuel Carleial0Daniel Nätt1Eva Unternährer2Thomas Elbert3Katy Robjant4Sarah Wilker5Vanja Vukojevic6Iris-Tatjana Kolassa7Anja C. Zeller8Anke Koebach9Department of Psychology, Centre for Psychiatry, University of KonstanzDivision of Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of LinköpingDepartment of Psychology, Centre for Psychiatry, University of KonstanzDepartment of Psychology, Centre for Psychiatry, University of KonstanzVivo International E.V.Vivo International E.V.Psychiatric University Clinics, Transfaculty Research Platform, University of BaselVivo International E.V.Department of Psychology, Centre for Psychiatry, University of KonstanzDepartment of Psychology, Centre for Psychiatry, University of KonstanzAbstract The aftermath of traumatization lives on in the neural and epigenetic traces creating a momentum of affliction in the psychological and social realm. Can psychotherapy reorganise these memories through changes in DNA methylation signatures? Using a randomised controlled parallel group design, we examined methylome-wide changes in saliva samples of 84 female former child soldiers from Eastern DR Congo before and six months after Narrative Exposure Therapy. Treatment predicted differentially methylated positions (DMPs) related to ALCAM, RIPOR2, AFAP1 and MOCOS. In addition, treatment associations overlapped at gene level with baseline clinical and social outcomes. Treatment related DMPs are involved in memory formation—the key agent in trauma focused treatments—and enriched for molecular pathways commonly affected by trauma related disorders. Results were partially replicated in an independent sample of 53 female former child soldiers from Northern Uganda. Our results suggest a molecular impact of psychological treatment in women with war-related childhood trauma. Trial registration: Addressing Heightened Levels of Aggression in Traumatized Offenders With Psychotherapeutic Means (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02992561, 14/12/2016).https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-98067-9 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Samuel Carleial Daniel Nätt Eva Unternährer Thomas Elbert Katy Robjant Sarah Wilker Vanja Vukojevic Iris-Tatjana Kolassa Anja C. Zeller Anke Koebach |
spellingShingle |
Samuel Carleial Daniel Nätt Eva Unternährer Thomas Elbert Katy Robjant Sarah Wilker Vanja Vukojevic Iris-Tatjana Kolassa Anja C. Zeller Anke Koebach DNA methylation changes following narrative exposure therapy in a randomized controlled trial with female former child soldiers Scientific Reports |
author_facet |
Samuel Carleial Daniel Nätt Eva Unternährer Thomas Elbert Katy Robjant Sarah Wilker Vanja Vukojevic Iris-Tatjana Kolassa Anja C. Zeller Anke Koebach |
author_sort |
Samuel Carleial |
title |
DNA methylation changes following narrative exposure therapy in a randomized controlled trial with female former child soldiers |
title_short |
DNA methylation changes following narrative exposure therapy in a randomized controlled trial with female former child soldiers |
title_full |
DNA methylation changes following narrative exposure therapy in a randomized controlled trial with female former child soldiers |
title_fullStr |
DNA methylation changes following narrative exposure therapy in a randomized controlled trial with female former child soldiers |
title_full_unstemmed |
DNA methylation changes following narrative exposure therapy in a randomized controlled trial with female former child soldiers |
title_sort |
dna methylation changes following narrative exposure therapy in a randomized controlled trial with female former child soldiers |
publisher |
Nature Publishing Group |
series |
Scientific Reports |
issn |
2045-2322 |
publishDate |
2021-09-01 |
description |
Abstract The aftermath of traumatization lives on in the neural and epigenetic traces creating a momentum of affliction in the psychological and social realm. Can psychotherapy reorganise these memories through changes in DNA methylation signatures? Using a randomised controlled parallel group design, we examined methylome-wide changes in saliva samples of 84 female former child soldiers from Eastern DR Congo before and six months after Narrative Exposure Therapy. Treatment predicted differentially methylated positions (DMPs) related to ALCAM, RIPOR2, AFAP1 and MOCOS. In addition, treatment associations overlapped at gene level with baseline clinical and social outcomes. Treatment related DMPs are involved in memory formation—the key agent in trauma focused treatments—and enriched for molecular pathways commonly affected by trauma related disorders. Results were partially replicated in an independent sample of 53 female former child soldiers from Northern Uganda. Our results suggest a molecular impact of psychological treatment in women with war-related childhood trauma. Trial registration: Addressing Heightened Levels of Aggression in Traumatized Offenders With Psychotherapeutic Means (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02992561, 14/12/2016). |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-98067-9 |
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