Neurological disorders are a leading cause of disability and reduced quality of life worldwide, yet their underlying causes remain incompletely understood. While rare, highly deleterious genetic mutations are known to contribute to neurological dysfunction, the cumulative effect of multiple mutations and their interaction with environmental exposures and epigenetic modifications have not been systematically explored. Recent evidence suggests that genetic background and environmental factors, including toxins, diet, and lifestyle, may jointly influence disease risk, partly through epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation.
This project aims to systematically investigate how the accumulation of severe deleterious genetic mutations, in the context of different genetic backgrounds, influences susceptibility to environmental factors and the development of neurological dysfunction. We will also explore how environmental exposures induce epigenetic changes that may further modify disease risk or progression. The ultimate goal is to identify key genetic and environmental interactions, as well as epigenetic biomarkers, that contribute to the onset and severity of neurological disorders, and to provide new insights for early diagnosis and personalized intervention.
