Epigenetic Markers of Disease Risk and Psychotherapy Response in Anxiety Disorders

Research from the University of Freiburg Medical Center in Germany has identified epigenetic mechanisms that play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders and predict treatment response. An epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) of patients with anxiety disorders treated with exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) found significant associations between altered DNA methylation and anxiety disorders. The study suggests that defining epigenetic signatures as predictors or key mechanisms in exposure-based interventions could pave the way for more targeted and personalized treatments for anxiety disorders.

Key Takeaways:

• The study found significant associations between altered DNA methylation and anxiety disorders, independent of comorbidity with depression.
• 148 CpGs were identified as altered DNA methylation, partly mapping to genes previously implicated in processes related to anxiety, brain disorders, learning, or plasticity.
• The study suggests that defining epigenetic signatures as predictors or key mechanisms in exposure-based interventions could pave the way for more targeted and personalized treatments for anxiety disorders.
• The study identified seven and three CpGs, respectively, as suggestively associated with BL DNA methylation.
• The study's findings suggest that personalized medicine approaches may be effective in treating anxiety disorders by targeting epigenetic mechanisms.
• The study's results have significant implications for the development of novel, targeted treatments for anxiety disorders.
• The research was conducted at the University of Freiburg Medical Center and published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

Statistics:

• 415 patients with anxiety disorders were included in the study.
• 315 healthy controls were included in the study.
• 148 CpGs were identified as altered DNA methylation.
• 7 and 3 CpGs, respectively, were identified as suggestively associated with BL DNA methylation.
• The study found significant associations between altered DNA methylation and anxiety disorders (p = 6.409E-08).
• The study's epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) used the Illumina MethylationEPIC BeadChip.

Sources:

• NewsRx. University of Freiburg Medical Center Reports Findings in Personalized Medicine (Epigenetic markers of disease risk and psychotherapy response in anxiety disorders - a longitudinal analysis of the DNA methylome). Psychology & Psychiatry Journal. May 17, 2025; p 465.
• University of Freiburg Medical Center
• Molecular Psychiatry
• Nature Publishing Group
• Springernature
• Katzarina Domschke et al. (2025). Epigenetic markers of disease risk and psychotherapy response in anxiety disorders - a longitudinal analysis of the DNA methylome. Molecular Psychiatry, 2025.