MORC1 (MORC family CW-type zinc finger 1) is an epigenetic regulator that functions as a chr3 remodeler and transcription factor, primarily characterized in the context of neurodevelopment and mood regulation 1. The protein is expressed in the brain from embryonic day 14 through adulthood, with widespread distribution in mood-regulating regions including the medial prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens, hypothalamus, and amygdala 2. MORC1's zinc finger structure suggests it acts as a transcription factor involved in epigenetic regulation 2. The gene shows significant disease relevance, particularly in neuropsychiatric conditions. MORC1 knockout mice exhibit increased depressive-like behavior, establishing its role in mood regulation 3. DNA methylation patterns of MORC1 are associated with depressive symptoms across multiple human cohorts, though with variable effect directions 4. Additionally, MORC1 methylation correlates with structural brain alterations in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex, regions commonly affected in depression 5. Recent genome-wide association studies have identified MORC1 as a novel risk gene for Alzheimer's disease and related dementia 6. The gene's expression is also influenced by early life stress, with sex-dependent effects on anxiety-like behavior and altered expression following maternal separation and social isolation 7.