Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40997811›Full record

ArticleCell genomics2025

Cell-type-specific DNA methylation dynamics in the prenatal and postnatal human cortex.

Alice Franklin, Jonathan P Davies, Nicholas E Clifton, Georgina E T Blake, Rosemary Bamford, Emma M Walker, Barry Chioza, Martyn Frith, APEX Consortium, Youth-GEMs Consortium and 6 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell genomics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. Epigenetic regulation of brain development, plasticity, and response to early-life stress.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026
    Review
  9. Review
  10. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Alice FranklinDepartment of Clinical & Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK. Electronic address: a.franklin@exeter.ac.uk.
Jonathan P DaviesDepartment of Clinical & Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
Nicholas E CliftonDepartment of Clinical & Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
Georgina E T BlakeDepartment of Clinical & Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
Rosemary BamfordDepartment of Clinical & Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
Emma M WalkerDepartment of Clinical & Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
Barry ChiozaDepartment of Clinical & Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
Martyn FrithDepartment of Clinical & Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
APEX Consortium
Youth-GEMs Consortium
Joe BurrageDepartment of Clinical & Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
Nick OwensDepartment of Clinical & Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
Shyam PrabhakarLaboratory of Systems Biology and Data Analytics, Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Emma DempsterDepartment of Clinical & Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
Eilis HannonDepartment of Clinical & Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
Jonathan MillDepartment of Clinical & Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK. Electronic address: j.mill@exeter.ac.uk.

Funding

european horizon 101057182Medical Research Council 099175/Z/12/ZMedical Research Council MR/M008924/1Medical Research Council MR/R005176/1Medical Research Council MR/W017156/1Wellcome Trust 099175/Z/12/ZWellcome Trust WT101650MA
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The human cortex undergoes extensive epigenetic remodeling during development, although the precise temporal and cell-type-specific dynamics of DNA methylation remain incompletely understood. In this study, we profiled genome-wide DNA methylation across human cortex tissue from donors aged 6 post-conception weeks to 108 years of age. We observed widespread, developmentally regulated changes in DNA methylation, with pronounced shifts occurring during early- and mid-gestation that were distinct from age-associated modifications in the postnatal cortex. Using fluorescence-activated nuclei sorting, we optimized a protocol for the isolation of SATB2-positive neuronal nuclei, enabling the identification of cell-type-specific DNA methylation trajectories in the developing cortex. Developmentally dynamic DNA methylation sites were significantly enriched near genes implicated in autism and schizophrenia, supporting a role for epigenetic dysregulation in neurodevelopmental conditions. Our findings underscore the prenatal period as a critical window of epigenomic plasticity in the brain with important implications for understanding the genetic basis of neurodevelopmental phenotypes.

Indexed as

Cerebral CortexDNA MethylationAdolescentAdultAgedChildChild, PreschoolEpigenesis, GeneticFemaleHumansInfantMaleMiddle AgedNeuronsYoung AdultagingautismbraincortexdevelopmentDNA methylationepigeneticsfetalneuronalschizophrenia

Identifiers

PMID40997811
PMCPMC12802690

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.