Dr. Randy Jirtle discusses the potential for epigenetic therapy to prevent neurological disorders (he names autism and schizophrenia) by using compounds or nutritional interventions to alter epigenetic states of key genes during development. He frames prevention as the exciting, ultimate application of epigenetic research, distinct from therapeutic cancer uses.
If there were epigenetic changes, for example, that gave rise to autism, or let's say, schizophrenia and other neurological disorders, could we use compounds that would alter the epigenetic states of genes that are very important in giving rise to this, and therefore block this problem and as a consequence, get people through a developmental stage to the point where they would never have that problem at all? Let's say autism? I don't know. But I think this is the exciting part of the epigenetic therapy and the epigenetic field of scientific research. Again, it's prevention. Even though what we were talking about initially with cancer is therapeutic, I really think that the big thing is going to be ultimately the use of compounds and nutrition might be one of those types of. Of things to prevent these problems from ever occurring.
