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Sex-Specific Epigenetics: Implications for Environmental Studies of Brain and Behavior

  • Synthetic Chemicals and Health (J Herbstman and T James-Todd, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

This review discusses the current state of knowledge on sex differences in the epigenetic regulation in the brain and highlights its relevance for the environmental studies of brain and behavior.

Recent Findings

Recent evidence shows that epigenetic mechanisms are involved in the control of brain sexual differentiation and in memory-enhancing effects of estradiol in females. In addition, several studies have implicated epigenetic dysregulation as an underlying mechanism for sex-specific neurobehavioral effects of environmental exposures.

Summary

The area of sex-specific neurepigenetics has a great potential to improve our understanding of brain function in health and disease. Future neuropigenetic studies will require the inclusion of males and females and would ideally account for the fluctuating hormonal status in females which is likely to affect the epigenome. The implementation of cutting-edge methods that include epigenomic characterization of specific cell types using latest next-generation sequencing approaches will further advance the area.

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  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, 441 E. Fordham Road, Larkin Hall, Room 160, Bronx, NY, 10458, USA

    Marija Kundakovic

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  1. Marija Kundakovic
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Kundakovic, M. Sex-Specific Epigenetics: Implications for Environmental Studies of Brain and Behavior. Curr Envir Health Rpt 4, 385–391 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-017-0172-x

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