Blood-based epigenome-wide association study and prediction of alcohol consumption.

Alcohol consumption is an important risk factor for multiple diseases. It is typically assessed via self-report, which is open to measurement error through recall bias. Instead, molecular data such as blood-based DNA methylation (DNAm) could be used to derive a more objective measure of alcohol consumption by incorporating information from cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites known to be linked to the trait.

Acute effects of psilocybin on attention and executive functioning in healthy volunteers: a systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis.

Rationale: Psilocybin shows promise for treating neuropsychiatric disorders. However, insight into its acute effects on cognition is lacking. Given the significant role of executive functions in daily life and treatment efficacy, it is crucial to evaluate how psilocybin influences these cognitive domains.

Epigenome-wide association study of objectively measured physical activity in peripheral blood leukocytes.

Background: Few studies have explored the association between DNA methylation and physical activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of objectively measured hours of sedentary behavior (SB) and moderate physical activity (MPA) with DNA methylation. We further aimed to explore the association between SB or MPA related CpG sites and cardiometabolic traits, gene expression, and genetic variation.

DNA methylation models of protein abundance across the lifecourse.

Background: Multiple studies have shown that DNA methylation (DNAm) models of protein abundance can be informative about exposure, phenotype and disease risk. Here we investigate and provide descriptive details of the capacity of DNAm to capture non-genetic variation in protein abundance across the lifecourse.

Methods: We evaluated the performance of 14 previously published DNAm models of protein abundance (episcores) in peripheral blood from a large adult population using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) at ages 7-24 and their mothers antenatally and in middle age (N range = 145-1464).

Association of exposure to second-hand smoke during childhood with blood DNA methylation.

Introduction: By recent estimates, 40% of children worldwide are exposed to second-hand smoke (SHS), which has been associated with adverse health outcomes. While numerous studies have linked maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) to widespread differences in child blood DNA methylation (DNAm), research specifically examining postnatal SHS exposure remains sparse. To address this gap, we conducted epigenome-wide meta-analyses to identify associations of postnatal SHS and child blood DNAm.