Ricerc@Sapienza

While accumulating literature is demonstrating the role of the dopamine transporter (DAT) in predicting emotional–behavioural difficulties in adults of at risk populations, only few studies have focused on the possible association between the methylation status of the DAT promoter and the psychopathological risk of mothers, fathers and children in normative samples.

Parental psychopathological risk is considered as one of the most crucial features associated with epigenetic modifications in o↵spring, which in turn are thought to be related to their emotional/behavioral profiles. The dopamine active transporter (DAT) gene is suggested to play a significant role in a↵ective/behavioral regulation.

The dorsal striatum coordinates input-output processing of numerous functions including those related to motor activity, motivation, and learning. Considerable anatomical and biochemical heterogeneity across striatal subregions has long been known to result in distinct functional outcomes, and for imbalances in these pathways to contribute to many complex disorders.