epigenetics

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epigenetics

·November 18, 2019·3 min read

Adolescent drinking increases anxiety and alcohol abuse risk later in life

Teenage binge drinking is linked to altered gene expression in the brain, specifically the central nucleus of the amygdala. Adolescent rats exposed to alcohol had increased levels of miR-137, resulting in lower expression of proteins essential for healthy neuron growth. During adulthood, these rats displayed higher levels of anxiety and an increased preference for alcohol consumption. Read More

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·October 23, 2019·4 min read

Consuming alcohol leads to epigenetic changes in brain memory centers

Study reveals how acetate, a byproduct of alcohol breakdown, travels to the brain's learning system and alters proteins that regulate DNA function. Read More

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·October 17, 2019·3 min read

Mothers’ behavior influences bonding hormone oxytocin in babies

Greater maternal involvement upregulates the oxytocin system in their babies. Read More

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·September 23, 2019·5 min read

Hormone potentially linked to hypersexual disorder identified

Study implicates dysregulation of epigenetic mechanisms of both DNA methylation and microRNA activity, in addition to oxytocin to hypersexuality. Read More

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·September 2, 2019·3 min read

Chronic cocaine use modifies gene expression

Chronic cocaine use alters the epigenetic profile of the FosB gene in the hippocampus. These alterations are required for cocaine-dependent gene expression and cocaine environment associations. Modification of hippocampal FosB results in a condition critical for cocaine-related learning. Read More

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·August 27, 2019·4 min read

Gene linked to autism undergoes changes in men’s sperm after cannabis use

Marijuana use alters a gene associated with autism in sperm. Hypomethylation was identified in the DLGAP2 gene in the sperm of male rats exposed to THC. The hypomethylated state was also detected in the forebrains of their offspring. Further research is needed to establish if there is a definitive link between paternal cannabis use and ASD in humans. Read More

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·August 26, 2019·4 min read

From cradle to grave: Postnatal overnutrition linked to aging

Islets of Langerhans in overnourished infant mice showed epigenetic profiles resembling those of much older mice. Read More

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·August 22, 2019·3 min read

Stress in pregnancy impacts childrens’ vulnerability to stress in adulthood

Prenatal stress can have an epigenetic impact on the future mental health of offspring. Adult children of women who experienced prenatal stress are more vulnerable to stress and other mental health disorders. Read More

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·August 20, 2019·4 min read

Alzheimer’s drug reverses brain damage from adolescent alcohol exposure

Donepezil, a drug routinely administered to slow cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease, shows promise in treating damage caused to the brain by adolescent alcohol exposure. The drug reverses neuroinflammation and neuron damage in rats exposed to alcohol during adolescence. Read More

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·August 15, 2019·3 min read

Moderate to heavy drinking during pregnancy alters genes in newborns and mothers

POMC, a gene which regulates the stress response system, and PER2, a gene associated with circadian regulation, are altered in women who drank moderate-to-high amounts of alcohol during pregnancy and their newborns. Read More

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·July 9, 2019·3 min read

Parental ‘memory’ is inherited across generations

A new insect study reveals a preference for ethanol persisted for five generations following paternal exposure. The findings shed light on the role paternal experience plays across generations in disease and risks for addiction in humans. Read More

This shows the train track with the entrance to Auschwitz in the distance

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·July 1, 2019·2 min read

Biological toll on brain function of Holocaust survivors revealed

Neuroimaging reveals Holocaust survivors have decreased gray matter in brain structures associated with emotional processing, memory, and social cognition. Early results show similar neuroanatomical changes in the children of survivors, suggesting an epigenetic link. Read More

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