Home and Epigenome: Exploring the Role of DNA Methylation in the Relationship Between Poor Housing Quality and Depressive Symptoms

Faye Sanders; Vilte Baltramonaityte; Alexandre A Lussier; Andrew Smith; Erin C. Dunn; Esther Walton

doi:10.1136/ bmjph-2025-002859

Home and Epigenome: Exploring the Role of DNA Methylation in the Relationship Between Poor Housing Quality and Depressive Symptoms

Faye Sanders, Vilte Baltramonaityte, Alexandre A Lussier, Andrew Smith, Erin C. Dunn, Esther Walton

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Abstract

Introduction Poor housing quality associates with risk for depression. However, previous research often lacks consideration of socioeconomic status (SES) baseline depressive symptoms and biological processes, leading to concerns of confounding and reverse causation.

Methods In a sample of up to 9669 adults, we investigated cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between housing quality (assessed at age 28, 1-year and 2 year follow-ups) and depressive symptoms (at four intervals between enrolment and 18-year follow-up). In subsamples (n=871, n=731), we investigated indirect effects via DNA methylation.

Results Poor housing quality associated with depressive symptoms cross-sectionally (beta range: 0.02–0.06) after controlling for SES and other factors. Longitudinally, this association persisted at the ~2 year, but not the ~18-year follow-up period. Indirect effects (β=0.002–0.012) linked to genes related to ageing, obesity and brain health.

Conclusion These results highlight poor housing quality as a risk factor for depression and the potential role of DNA methylation in this association.

Original language	English
Article number	e002859
Journal	BMJ Public Health
Volume	3
Issue number	2
Early online date	15 Oct 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/ bmjph-2025-002859
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 15 Oct 2025

Data Availability Statement

Data may be obtained from a third party and are not publicly available. Access to ALSPAC data is through a system of managed open access (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac/researchers/access/).

Acknowledgements

We are extremely grateful to all the families who took part in this study, the midwives for their help in recruiting them and the whole ALSPAC team, which includes interviewers, computer and laboratory technicians, clerical workers, research scientists, volunteers, managers, receptionists and nurses.

Funding

The UK Medical Research Council and Wellcome (Grant ref: 217065/Z/19/Z) and the University of Bristol provide core support for ALSPAC. This publication is the work of the authors and FS and EW will serve as guarantors for the contents of this paper. A comprehensive list of grants funding is available on the ALSPAC website (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac/external/documents/ grant-acknowledgements.pdf). EW received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant references: 848158, EarlyCause), from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe/ERC Frontier Research Guarantee (BrainHealth, grant number EP/Y015037/1) and from the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health (award number R01MH113930; PI ECD). FS is supported by a scholarship from the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (AAPS), under the project EP/S023364/1. AAL is supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and an MQ Fellows Award from the MQ Foundation (no award/grant number).

Funders	Funder number
Medical Research Council	217065/Z/19/Z
UK Research & Innovation	EP/Y015037/1

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Access to Document

10.1136/ bmjph-2025-002859Licence: CC BY

e002859.fullFinal published version, 889 KBLicence: CC BY

1 Finished
1 Active

BrainHealth - Decoding life course pathways of mental ageing - Frontier Research Guarantee
Walton, E. (PI) & Ward, A. (CoI)
EPSRC
1/10/23 → 30/09/28
Project: EU Commission
EarlyCause
Walton, E. (PI)
EU - Horizon 2020
1/01/20 → 30/06/24
Project: EU Commission

Cite this

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title = "Home and Epigenome: Exploring the Role of DNA Methylation in the Relationship Between Poor Housing Quality and Depressive Symptoms",

abstract = "Introduction Poor housing quality associates with risk for depression. However, previous research often lacks consideration of socioeconomic status (SES) baseline depressive symptoms and biological processes, leading to concerns of confounding and reverse causation. Methods In a sample of up to 9669 adults, we investigated cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between housing quality (assessed at age 28, 1-year and 2 year follow-ups) and depressive symptoms (at four intervals between enrolment and 18-year follow-up). In subsamples (n=871, n=731), we investigated indirect effects via DNA methylation. Results Poor housing quality associated with depressive symptoms cross-sectionally (beta range: 0.02–0.06) after controlling for SES and other factors. Longitudinally, this association persisted at the \textasciitilde{}2 year, but not the \textasciitilde{}18-year follow-up period. Indirect effects (β=0.002–0.012) linked to genes related to ageing, obesity and brain health. Conclusion These results highlight poor housing quality as a risk factor for depression and the potential role of DNA methylation in this association.",

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doi = "10.1136/ bmjph-2025-002859",

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AU - Smith, Andrew

AU - Dunn, Erin C.

AU - Walton, Esther

PY - 2025/10/15

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N2 - Introduction Poor housing quality associates with risk for depression. However, previous research often lacks consideration of socioeconomic status (SES) baseline depressive symptoms and biological processes, leading to concerns of confounding and reverse causation. Methods In a sample of up to 9669 adults, we investigated cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between housing quality (assessed at age 28, 1-year and 2 year follow-ups) and depressive symptoms (at four intervals between enrolment and 18-year follow-up). In subsamples (n=871, n=731), we investigated indirect effects via DNA methylation. Results Poor housing quality associated with depressive symptoms cross-sectionally (beta range: 0.02–0.06) after controlling for SES and other factors. Longitudinally, this association persisted at the ~2 year, but not the ~18-year follow-up period. Indirect effects (β=0.002–0.012) linked to genes related to ageing, obesity and brain health. Conclusion These results highlight poor housing quality as a risk factor for depression and the potential role of DNA methylation in this association.

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Home and Epigenome: Exploring the Role of DNA Methylation in the Relationship Between Poor Housing Quality and Depressive Symptoms

Abstract

Data Availability Statement

Acknowledgements

Funding

UN SDGs

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Projects

BrainHealth - Decoding life course pathways of mental ageing - Frontier Research Guarantee

EarlyCause

Cite this