THE ESSENTIAL
- Study reveals that stress experienced during childhood can alter the sperm epigenome, potentially influencing future generations.
- In males who experienced significant maltreatment, changes in DNA methylation and non-coding RNA levels were observed, which may affect offspring brain development.
- “Showing that these epigenetic modifications directly influence the characteristics of descendants would rewrite the rules of heredity,” according to the researchers.
Stress experienced during childhood, such as abuse, can modify sperm and thus affect the brain development of subsequent generations. This is the conclusion of a new study led by the University of Turku, Finland, and published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. This discovery opens up perspectives on the intergenerational transmission of the effects of stress and, more generally, on our understanding of hereditary rules.
What is epigenetic inheritance?
Epigenetic inheritance refers to the transmission of acquired information to the next generation, without it being encoded in the DNA sequence. Thus, environmentally induced changes can influence future generations through gametes. However, these epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation or the expression of non-coding RNA molecules, play a crucial role in cellular functioning and could affect the child’s brain development.
The researchers studied the epigenetic profiles of the sperm of 55 middle-aged men, classified according to their exposure to stress during childhood, measured by the Trauma and Distress Scale (TADS). In men who had experienced significant abuse, scientists observed lower methylation in three regions of DNA, as well as altered levels of several non-coding RNA molecules. Epigenetic variations which, according to the study, could largely influence the brain development of their children.
Limit the effects of the father’s trauma on his children
“Showing that these modifications directly influence the characteristics of descendants would rewrite the rules of heredity, assure the researchers in a press release. But further research is needed to confirm this.”particularly on perinatal stress and the sperm epigenome.
By revealing the potential impacts of childhood stress on future generations, this study nevertheless marks a crucial step. It opens the way to preventive interventions to limit the long-term consequences of trauma on the mental and physical health of succeeding generations.
