Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 27, 2026
12:34
DNA Methylation: Bisulphite Modification and Analysis
Published on: October 21, 2011
106.4K
Epigenetic Memory of Early-Life Parental Perturbation: Dopamine Decrease and DNA Methylation Changes in Offspring.
Laura Bordoni1, Cinzia Nasuti2, Antonio Di Stefano3
1School of Advanced Studies, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy.
Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity
|March 28, 2019
Summary
Early exposure to permethrin, an insecticide, can reduce dopamine levels in offspring and alter their epigenome. This study highlights the intergenerational impact of environmental toxins on neurodevelopment and health.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Toxicology
- Neuroscience
- Epigenetics
Background:
- Early-life exposure to permethrin, an insecticide, is linked to dopaminergic neurodegeneration.
- Permethrin acts as an oxidative stressor, potentially impacting brain development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if early permethrin exposure impairs dopamine levels in untreated offspring.
- To evaluate the effects of permethrin exposure on the epigenome of exposed rats (F0) and their offspring (F1).
Main Methods:
- Rats were exposed to permethrin during early postnatal development.
- Dopamine levels and global DNA methylation/hydroxymethylation were assessed in adult rats and their offspring.
- Epigenetic changes were correlated with dopamine levels in offspring.
Main Results:
- Early permethrin exposure induced changes in global DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation in adult rats.
- Parental permethrin exposure significantly reduced dopamine levels in offspring (F1).
- Reduced dopamine levels in offspring were associated with impaired DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation.
Conclusions:
- Early-life permethrin exposure has intergenerational effects, impacting offspring dopamine levels and epigenome.
- Permethrin exposure can disrupt epigenetic memory, potentially affecting offspring health.
- This xenobiotic exposure highlights risks to neurodevelopment across generations.
Related Concept Videos
01:46Epigenetic Regulation
33.5K
Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
33.5K
01:23Characteristics of Life
257.9K
Biology is a natural science that studies life and living organisms, including their structure, function, development, interactions, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. The field's scope is extensive and divided into several specialized disciplines, such as anatomy, physiology, ethology, genetics, and many more. All living things share a few key traits, including cellular organization, heritable genetic material and the ability to adapt/evolve, metabolism to regulate energy needs, the...
257.9K
02:42Half-life of a Reaction
38.8K
The half-life of a reaction (t1/2) is the time required for one-half of a given amount of reactant to be consumed. In each succeeding half-life, half of the remaining concentration of the reactant is consumed. For example, during the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, during the first half-life (from 0.00 hours to 6.00 hours), the concentration of H2O2 decreases from 1.000 M to 0.500 M. During the second half-life (from 6.00 hours to 12.00 hours), the concentration decreases from 0.500 M to...
38.8K
01:27Decreasing Function
250
A decreasing function describes a relationship where the output consistently declines as the input increases. This means that for any two input values, if one is greater than the other, the corresponding output is smaller. Mathematically, a function f is decreasing on an interval I if for every x1 < x2 in I, f (x1) > f (x2). This type of behavior is visually identified on a graph that slopes downward from left to right.The nature of a function can be analyzed by calculating...
250
00:55Parental Care
12.7K
Many animals exhibit parental care behavior, including feeding, grooming, and protecting young offspring. Parental care is universal in mammals and birds, which often have young that are born relatively helpless. Several species of insects and fish, as well as some amphibians, also care for their young.
12.7K
01:27Parenting Styles
643
Diana Baumrind's four parenting styles — authoritarian, authoritative, neglectful, and permissive — each influence children's socio-emotional development differently.
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative...
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative...
643