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Epigenetic inheritance and the intergenerational transfer of experience
1Department of Human and Community Development, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA. lharper@ucdavis.edu
Psychological Bulletin
|May 5, 2005
Summary
Epigenetic inheritance, the transmission of parental environmental responses, influences offspring development beyond genetics. This mechanism, affecting gene expression, can impact multiple generations, including temperamental variations.
Area of Science:
- Developmental psychology
- Evolutionary ecology
- Genetics
Background:
- Behavioral development traditionally viewed as influenced by genetics, environment, and parenting.
- Evolutionary ecology introduces epigenetic inheritance as a novel factor.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore epigenetic inheritance as a contributor to behavioral development.
- To examine how parental environmental responses influence offspring gene expression and traits.
Main Methods:
- Review of evolutionary ecology principles.
- Discussion of organismic pathways for epigenetic transmission.
- Analysis of maternal stress effects across generations.
Main Results:
- Epigenetic inheritance alters gene expression, not genetic inheritance.
- Parental environmental challenges can impact offspring and grand-offspring phenotypes.
- Maternal stress during gestation may affect physical growth and temperamental variation in descendants.
Conclusions:
- Epigenetic inheritance provides a new framework for understanding developmental influences.
- This mechanism has significant implications for behavioral development theories and research design.
- Testable predictions for future research on epigenetic inheritance and temperament are proposed.