Alcohol dependence is a serious disease that contributes substantially to the so-called "Global Burden of Disease". Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the susceptibility to alcohol dependence. Both factors act through epigenetic mechanisms, among others. In our study we investigate the influence of chronic alcohol dependence on the epigenome on the one hand and on the other hand we are interested in how the epigenome changes in the course of alcohol withdrawal treatment. For this purpose, we investigate specific genes with respect to their epigenetic regulation in the form of DNA methylation, miRNA expression and histone modifications. Our results should contribute to a better understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying alcohol dependence in order to contribute to improved prevention and therapy measures in the long term.

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental illnesses. Both genetic and environmental factors play a role in their development. In particular, negative life experiences, especially in childhood and adolescence, seem to increase the risk of an anxiety disorder. The relationship between these early experiences and the later onset of anxiety disorders is not yet well understood, but there is increasing evidence that epigenetic regulation plays a role.

In our study, we want to investigate this association of anxiety disorders with early negative life experiences on an epigenetic and brain structural and functional level.

Early childhood stress in childhood and adolescence increases the risk of developing depression about threefold later in life.

This effect presumably has not only psychological but also biological causes, such as a dysregulation of the body's stress system due to the persistent stresses in childhood, and a resulting susceptibility to mental illness. We investigate to what extent this connection is mediated by epigenetic changes.

Mental illnesses and personality disorders are complex diseases that are based on an interplay of environmental and genetic factors. In addition, there is increasing evidence that epigenetic changes also play a role. In several studies we want to investigate the influence of psychotherapy on epigenetics. We are particularly interested in identifying predictive markers, i.e. differences in epigenetics that are associated with a particular clinical picture and may change in the course of therapy, thus providing an objective measure of therapeutic success.