Epigenetic memory: Can trauma and disease be passed to future generations?

As we gather with our family during the holiday season, we may hear expressions like: “You look just like your mother” or “You look just like your father”. These expressions are common and accepted because we know that we inherit genes from our parents that affect our physical appearance. Have you ever wondered why both you and your parents tend to be fearful or pessimistic about situations? The rationale could be that it is because you watched your parents worry about various challenges while growing up. However, this tendency toward pessimism could be a result of epigenetic memory.

Epigenetic memory is an inheritable change in genes or behavior caused by a prior formative or environmental stimulus.  There are several studies that suggest that trauma and disease can be passed to future generations through epigenetics. One example of trauma and disease being passed down, is a study of pregnant women impacted by the Dutch Hunger Winter famine in the Netherlands from 1944 to 1945. The women gave birth to children who later in their adult lives experienced above average rates of obesity, diabetes, and schizophrenia. The study results indicated that the pregnant women experienced epigenetic changes that were passed to their offspring.

It has been reported that epigenetic memory can change over time with diet and lifestyle modifications. For example, smoking alters the epigenetic structure of the lung cells and can eventually cause cancer. The field of epigenetics is relatively new and more research needs to be done on epigenetic memory to fully support its claims.