Can our parents and grandparents’ experiences shape our emotions and behaviors? What is epigenetics? Why do some people’s responses to an event seem out of proportion?

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References and suggested reading/listening:

Peer Reviewed Scholarly Publications

Braga, L. L., Mello, M. F., & Fiks, J. P. (2012). Transgenerational transmission of trauma and resilience: a qualitative study with Brazilian offspring of Holocaust survivors. BMC Psychiatry, 12. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-12-134

Bygren, L. O., Tinghög, P., Carstensen, J., Edvinsson, S., Kaati, G., Pembrey, M. E., & Sjöström, M. (2014). Change in paternal grandmotherśearly food supply influenced cardiovascular mortality of the female grandchildren. BMC Genetics, 15, 2–7. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2156-15-12

Essex, M. J., Boyce, W. T., Hertzman, C., Lam, L. L., & Armstrong, J. M. (2014). Epigenetic Vestiges of Early Developmental Adversity: Childhood Stress Exposure and DNA Methylation in Adolescence Marilyn. 84(1), 58–75. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01641.x.Epigenetic

Goossens, L., van Roekel, E., Verhagen, M., Cacioppo, J. T., Cacioppo, S., Maes, M., & Boomsma, D. I. (2015). The Genetics of Loneliness: Linking Evolutionary Theory to Genome-Wide Genetics, Epigenetics, and Social Science. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(2), 213–226. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691614564878

King, S. E., Nilsson, E., Beck, D., & Skinner, M. K. (2019). Adipocyte epigenetic alterations and potential therapeutic targets in transgenerationally inherited lean and obese phenotypes following ancestral exposures. Adipocyte, 8(1), 362–378. https://doi.org/10.1080/21623945.2019.1693747

Pembrey, M., Saffery, R., & Bygren, L. O. lov. (2014). Human transgenerational responses to early-life experience: potential impact on development, health and biomedical research. Journal of Medical Genetics, 51(9), 563–572. https://doi.org/10.1136/jmedgenet-2014-102577

Roth, M., Neuner, F., & Elbert, T. (2014). Transgenerational consequences of PTSD : risk factors for the mental health of children whose mothers have been exposed to the Rwandan genocide. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 8(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/1752-4458-8-12

Skinner, M. K., Anway, M. D., Savenkova, M. I., Gore, A. C., & Crews, D. (2008). Transgenerational epigenetic programming of the brain transcriptome and anxiety behavior. PLoS ONE, 3(11). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0003745

Weaver, I. C. G., Cervoni, N., Champagne, F. A., D’Alessio, A. C., Sharma, S., Seckl, J. R., Dymov, S., Szyf, M., & Meaney, M. J. (2004). Epigenetic programming by maternal behavior. Nature Neuroscience, 7(8), 847–854. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn1276

Yehuda, R., & Lehrner, A. (2018). Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanisms. World Psychiatry, 17(3), 243–257. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20568

News and Editorial Articles

Epigenetics: The Woes of Your Ancestors May Remain for Generations to Come, Li Miao Lovett, June 30, 2016, KQED https://www.kqed.org/futureofyou/189972/epigenetics-the-woes-of-your-ancestors-may-remain-for-generations-to-come

Genetic impact of African slave trade revealed in DNA study, BBC News, July 24, 2020 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53527405

Study Shows How Effects of Starvation Can Be Passed to Future Generations, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, July 17, 2014 https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/study-shows-how-effects-starvation-can-be-passed-future-generations

Podcasts and interviews:

The Lasting Effects of Food Insecurity in Early Childhood a conversation with Dr. Jeremy Coplan

Media credit (photo/video/audio/animation) Sincere thanks to the following artists

Thumbnail Image - Pregnant mom with ultrasound overlay - Rudy and Peter Skitterians, Pixabay

Incredulous man- stockbusters, Storyblocks

Neurocircuitry closeup – RichardjJones, Storyblocks

DNA strand – iLexx, Storyblocks

Dad feeding baby – Prostock-studio, Storyblocks

Four generations – brfcs, Pixabay (Stock photo)

News Article- Dutch Hunger Winter – Nationaal Aarchief, Netherlands, KQED https://www.kqed.org/futureofyou/189972/epigenetics-the-woes-of-your-ancestors-may-remain-for-generations-to-come

News Article - Le Statue de la Liberation de l’Esclavage – Reuters, BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53527405

News Article - Changes in RNA - Columbia University Medical Center https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/study-shows-how-effects-starvation-can-be-passed-future-generations

Pregnant mom with ultrasound overlay - Rudy and Peter Skitterians, Pixabay

Pregnant mom on couch – Dexswaggerboy, Unsplash

Neurons firing – istock.com/nmlfd

Eviction notice – kk5hy, Storyblocks

Empty kitchen cupboard - Paul Volkmer, Unsplash

Chicken soup can - Ben Lolli, Unsplash

Couple fighting – Dualstock, Storyblocks (Stock photo. Posed by model)

Worried pregnant mom - Prostock-studio, Storyblocks

Pregnant mom belly closeup – Alexander Krivitvitskiy, Unsplash

Bloodstream closeup – Unnamed author, Storyblocks

Blood vessels in body – icetray, Storyblocks

Running Muscular man – istock.com/janulla

Vintage car dashboard - Unnamed author, Storyblocks

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Disclaimer: The contents of this video are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be medical or psychiatric advice, diagnosis, or treatment, nor to replace medical or psychiatric care. The information presented herein represents the perspective of the author. The concepts presented are accurate and conform to the available scientific evidence to the best of the author's knowledge as of the time of posting. Always seek the advice of qualified mental health providers with any questions regarding any emotional or psychological condition. Never disregard professional mental health advice or delay seeking it because of information contained in Body and Behavior Institute videos. Body and Behavior Institute is an initiative of Limbic Legacy.