Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42353841›Full record

ArticleGenes2026

Differential DNA Methylation of the Serotonin Receptor Signaling and Glutamatergic Synapse Pathways in Adult Twins Born Preterm.

Carl Peter Vittrup Rasmussen, Marianne Nygaard, Morten Frost Nielsen, Mette Soerensen, Kaare Christensen, Qihua Tan

Abstract readTwin Study
In one paragraph

Article in Genes, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

6 authors.

Carl Peter Vittrup RasmussenEpidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark.
Marianne NygaardEpidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0003-0703-2665
Morten Frost NielsenResearch Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark.
Mette SoerensenEpidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0001-5268-3366
Kaare ChristensenEpidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0002-5429-5292
Qihua TanEpidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0003-3194-0030

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

objectivesEarly-life environment may influence long-term neurodevelopment through epigenetic regulation. Serotonergic and glutamatergic pathways are central to brain development and have been implicated in DNA methylation changes following prenatal adversity. In this study, we examined whether preterm birth (PTB) in birthweight-discordant twins is associated with differential DNA methylation in the serotonin receptor signaling pathway and the glutamatergic synapse pathway in adult twins.

methodsGenome-wide DNA methylation data were obtained from whole blood samples of 288 individuals (144 monozygotic birthweight-discordant twin pairs), including a younger cohort (140 individuals; mean age 33 years) and an older cohort (148 individuals; mean age 63 years). DNA methylation was measured using the Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip. Linear models were fitted for association testing, adjusting for leukocyte composition and twin pair correlation. Pathway-level differential methylation was assessed using Rotation Gene Set Testing.

resultsIn the glutamatergic synapse pathway, no consistent directional enrichment of hypo- or hypermethylation was observed. However, gene-level analyses identified consistent hypomethylation of

conclusionsThese findings suggest that PTB is associated with long-term epigenetic variation in neurodevelopmentally relevant pathways, as reflected in blood cells. The results further indicate distinct methylation architectures across pathways, with more consistent pathway-level signals in the serotonergic system and more localized gene-level effects in the glutamatergic pathway.

Indexed as

DNA MethylationPremature BirthReceptors, SerotoninSynapsesAdultEpigenesis, GeneticFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeurodevelopmentReceptors, AMPASignal TransductionTwins, Monozygoticglutamate receptor ionotropic, AMPA 4Receptors, AMPAReceptors, Serotoninepigeneticsglutamatergic synapse pathwaypreterm birthserotonin receptor signaling pathway

Identifiers

PMID42353841
PMCPMC13299586

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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.