TNF and Anxiety: Two of the studies covered in the PPD section also investigated epigenetic changes in perinatal anxiety.8,15 One study observed that DNA methylation changes in T-lymphocyte genes, particularly within a CD3 gene CpG cluster, were associated with antenatal anxiety.8 The other study identified lower TNF-α expression in late pregnancy was associated with postpartum anxiety symptoms in those with elevated methylation at the FOXP3 TSDR.15