NR3C1 and depressive disorder: These results point to a possible beneficial effect of treatment of depression during pregnancy on DNA methylation overall and on candidate genes that have been associated with prenatal exposure to maternal stress, depression or anxiety, specifically, on the promoter region of NR3C1. In earlier studies, DNA methylation of the 1F region on the promoter of NR3C1 showed increased methylation in children who were born to mothers who were depressed during their pregnancy (40, 63, 64).