"Ghosts in the Genome"
Researchers are now beginning to understand the mechanisms of epigenetic inheritance and to generate evidence for the idea that the experiences of an ancestral population can influence future generations. For example, stress experienced by fathers can negatively impact future offspring. Mount Sinai neurobiologist Eric Nestler and his colleagues have shown that male mice subjected to social defeat sire offspring with altered anxiety- and depression-related behaviors, such as decreased time spent in exposed areas. Learn more.