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Experience may contribute to mental illness in a surprising way: by causing "epigenetic" changes?ones that turn genes on or off without altering the genes themselves
?| December 5, 2011?|
In Brief
- New findings suggest that experiences can contribute to mental illness by adding or removing ?epigenetic? marks on chromosomes. These tags are particular chem?icals that can influence gene activity without changing the information encoded in the genes.
- Studies in mice demonstrate a role for long-lasting epigenetic modifications in such disorders as addiction and depression.
- Epigenetic changes can also affect maternal behaviors in ways that reproduce the same behaviors in their offspring, even though the changes are not passed down through the germ line.
- Researchers hope the new findings will lead to better treatments, although the path to those treatments is not yet obvious.
Matt is a history teacher. his twin brother, greg, is a drug addict. (Their names have been changed to protect their anonymity.) Growing up in the Boston area, both boys did well in high school: they were strong students in the classroom and decent athletes on the field, and they got along with their peers. Like many young people, the brothers snuck the occasional beer or cigarette and experimented with marijuana. Then, in college, they tried cocaine. For Greg, the experience derailed his life.
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