The Wall Street Journal - The Genetic Ripple Effect of Hardship
Our experiences in life don't just affect how we learn and
behave, they can also mark our genes and influence our children,
a growing body of research suggests. Stressful events and drug
use appear to alter how and when genes are turned off and on.
Some environmental influences create such long-lasting and
significant biological changes that they can be passed on to
affect the health of the next generation, studies have shown.
Dr. Eric Nestler, a molecular biologist and neuroscience
professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, took male mice and
stressed them out, then bred them with normal females. After the
pups grew up, they showed sharp increases in anxiety and
depression. "I couldn't believe it," he says. - Dr. Eric
Nestler, Professor & Chair, Neuroscience, Director of the
Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine Learn
more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204653604577
249294233751760.html