Kenneth Blum1,2,3,4, Jean Lud Cadet5, David Baron1, Rajendra D Badgaiyan6, Raymond Brewer3, Edward J Modestino7, Mark S Gold8. 1. Graduate College, Western University Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA. 2. Department Psychiatry, Boonshoff School of Medicine, Wright University, Dayton, Ohio, USA. 3. Division of Nutrigenomics, Geneus Genomic Testing Center, Geneus Health, LLC, San Antonio, Texas, USA. 4. Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary. 5. Molecular Neuropsychiatry Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. 6. Department of Psychiatry, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA. 7. Department of Psychology, Curry College, Milton, Massachusetts, USA. 8. Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The overwhelming fatalities of the global COVID-19 Pandemic will have daunting epigenetic sequala that can translate into an array of mental health issues, including panic, phobia, health anxiety, sleep disturbances to dissociative like symptoms including suicide. Method: We searched PUBMED for articles listed using the search terms "COVID 19 Pandemic", COVID19 and genes," "stress and COVID 19", Stress and Social distancing: Results: Long-term social distancing may be neurologically harmful, the consequence of epigenetic insults to the gene encoding the primary receptor for SARS-CoV2, and COVID 19. The gene is Angiotensin I Converting-Enzyme 2 (ACE2). According to the multi-experiment matrix (MEM), the gene exhibiting the most statistically significant co-expression link to ACE2 is Dopa Decarboxylase (DDC). DDC is a crucial enzyme that participates in the synthesis of both dopamine and serotonin. SARS-CoV2-induced downregulation of ACE2 expression might reduce dopamine and serotonin synthesis, causing hypodopaminergia. Discussion: Indeed, added to the known reduced dopamine function during periods of stress, including social distancing the consequence being both genetic and epigenetic vulnerability to all Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS) addictive behaviors. Stress seen in PTSD can generate downstream alterations in immune functions by reducing methylation levels of immune-related genes. Conclusion: Mitigation of these effects by identifying subjects at risk and promoting dopaminergic homeostasis to help regulate stress-relative hypodopaminergia, attenuate fears, and prevent subsequent unwanted drug and non-drug RDS type addictive behaviors seems prudent.
BACKGROUND: The overwhelming fatalities of the global COVID-19 Pandemic will have daunting epigenetic sequala that can translate into an array of mental health issues, including panic, phobia, health anxiety, sleep disturbances to dissociative like symptoms including suicide. Method: We searched PUBMED for articles listed using the search terms "COVID 19 Pandemic", COVID19 and genes," "stress and COVID 19", Stress and Social distancing: Results: Long-term social distancing may be neurologically harmful, the consequence of epigenetic insults to the gene encoding the primary receptor for SARS-CoV2, and COVID 19. The gene is Angiotensin I Converting-Enzyme 2 (ACE2). According to the multi-experiment matrix (MEM), the gene exhibiting the most statistically significant co-expression link to ACE2 is Dopa Decarboxylase (DDC). DDC is a crucial enzyme that participates in the synthesis of both dopamine and serotonin. SARS-CoV2-induced downregulation of ACE2 expression might reduce dopamine and serotonin synthesis, causing hypodopaminergia. Discussion: Indeed, added to the known reduced dopamine function during periods of stress, including social distancing the consequence being both genetic and epigenetic vulnerability to all Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS) addictive behaviors. Stress seen in PTSD can generate downstream alterations in immune functions by reducing methylation levels of immune-related genes. Conclusion: Mitigation of these effects by identifying subjects at risk and promoting dopaminergic homeostasis to help regulate stress-relative hypodopaminergia, attenuate fears, and prevent subsequent unwanted drug and non-drug RDS type addictive behaviors seems prudent.
Authors: Margaret A Madigan; Ashim Gupta; Abdalla Bowirrat; David Baron; Rajendra D Badgaiyan; Igor Elman; Catherine A Dennen; Eric R Braverman; Mark S Gold; Kenneth Blum Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-05-24 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: Kenneth Blum; Ali Raza; Tiffany Schultz; Rehan Jalali; Richard Green; Raymond Brewer; Panyotis K Thanos; Thomas McLaughlin; David Baron; Abdalla Bowirrat; Igor Elman; B William Downs; Debasis Bagchi; Rajendra D Badgaiyan Journal: Acta Sci Neurol Date: 2021-02-02