Transgenerational Epigenetics

For a long time now, it has been understood and accepted that the decisions and experiences of a mother during her months of pregnancy will have a resulting impact on the birth and development of her child. A relatively newer discovery is that experiences gone through by both a mother and father even before pregnancy, might also be playing a role in that child’s future development. This phenomenon is explained through the science of epigenetics, which examines how events and situations in an individual’s lifetime may impact the way their DNA is expressed and read; moreover, how this can then be passed down onto their children and future generations.

Tiny chemical ‘markers’ are added or removed to the top of our DNA string in response to the different situations we experience throughout our lifetime, without altering the core DNA code itself. These markers turn parts of our genes on and off as a catalyst to help an individual adapt to their changing environment. This study is referred to as epigenetics, and further considers how these markers can be transferred down to our children and influence the way they react and adapt to similar situations. An individual who is raised around constant neglect and abuse may suffer from lifelong trauma which enacts certain markers to come into play and potentially carry into future generations – creating a likelihood of a parallel response by the children in the face of similar trauma and abuse.

Although the term epigenetics was coined decades ago now, a lot of the research and development into the field has occurred in more recent years. It is still a relatively new concept and not yet considered to be widespread common knowledge. The implications and complete structure behind epigenetics continues to be studied and debated until this very day; therefore, many people are unaware of how their surrounding environment and everyday decisions might potentially be impacting the development of their child, possibly long before they even think of having one. It should be noted that epigenetic changes and markers can be reversed and subdued; moreover, they can also be created from positive occurrences not just negative ones. During early years and growth into adolescence providing children with positive experiences, emotional support, and healthy challenges and routines will better equip them for success in life.

Sources:

Henriques, Martha. (2019). BBC Future: Can the legacy of trauma be passed down the generations. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190326-what-is-epigenetics

n.a. (2020, September 21). MedlinePlus: What is epigenetics. https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/howgeneswork/epigenome/

Weinhold, B. (2006). Epigenetics: the science of change. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1392256/