From Stress to Strength: DNA Methylation Entropy as a Mechanism for Developmental Plasticity

Early life stress, such as what a baby experiences during gestation, can have lasting effects on development. But new research suggests that these early challenges don't always lead to negative outcomes. In fact, they may increase a child's sensitivity to their environment-making them more vulnerable in difficult settings, but also more likely to thrive in supportive ones. This project explores how stress during pregnancy affects a baby's development by looking at changes in the function of their DNA. Specifically, we study a process called DNA methylation, which can turn genes on or off without changing the DNA itself. We focus on a new concept called DNA methylation entropy, which measures how flexible or "plastic" a child's biology is-how ready they are to respond to their environment. Using data from 1457 Canadian families who were pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic, we will track how prenatal stress affects children's neurodevelopment by changing patterns of DNA methylation. We'll also look at how the home environment-whether it's supportive or stressful-shapes outcomes. Our goal is to understand why some children do well after exposure to early life stress, whereas others struggle. This research could lead to more personalized and effective early interventions that help all children reach their full potential.