This study provides preliminary evidence for an epigenetic architecture of infant temperament. At 12 months of age, blood was collected and assayed for DNA methylation and maternally reported infant temperament was assessed using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire in 67 mother–infant dyads. Epigenome‐wide analyses showed that the higher order temperament dimensions Surgency and Negative Affect were associated with DNA methylation. The epigenetic signatures of Surgency and Negative Affect were situated at genes involved in synaptic signaling and plasticity. Although replication is required, these results are consistent with a biologically based model of temperament, create new avenues for hypothesis‐driven research into epigenetic pathways that underlie individual differences in temperament, and demonstrate that infant temperament has a widespread epigenetic signature in the methylome.

中文翻译：

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婴儿期表观基因组 DNA 甲基化和气质的初步研究

这项研究为婴儿气质的表观遗传结构提供了初步证据。在 12 个月大时，收集血液并检测 DNA 甲基化，并使用婴儿行为问卷对 67 名母婴二人评估母亲报告的婴儿气质。全表观基因组分析表明，高阶气质维度“紧急”和“消极情感”与 DNA 甲基化相关。紧急性和负面影响的表观遗传特征位于涉及突触信号传导和可塑性的基因上。尽管需要复制，但这些结果与基于生物学的气质模型一致，为假设驱动的研究表观遗传途径（构成气质个体差异的基础）创造了新的途径，并证明婴儿气质在甲基化组中具有广泛的表观遗传特征。