Parental depression can lead to changes in kids' gene expression
High stress can lead to the development of depression, for which millions of Americans buy Effexor.
High stress can lead to the development of depression, for which millions of Americans buy Effexor. Parents who are often tense and anxious during their children's early years can affect the gene expression of their sons and daughters later in life, according to a report published in the journal Child Development.
Lead scientist Michael S. Kobor and his team from the University of British Columbia looked at the process of methylation, in which a chemical group attaches itself to parts of an individual's DNA in response to their social and physical environment. This results in changes in gene expression.
The researchers found that higher stress levels among mothers were linked to methylation levels on a total of 139 DNA sites in their adolescent children.
"What is particularly intriguing is that a mother's higher stress levels during infancy, but not during the preschool years, leads to epigenetic changes," the team explained. "And the opposite is true for fathers - it's their higher stress during a child's preschool years, but not during their infancy, that counts."
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