December 2019 | What is Epigenetics?

Alcohol Byproducts Can Epigenetically Trigger Cravings

December 26, 2019 Andrea P

As the holiday season brings about more parties, people are more likely to drink beyond healthy limits. In this social minefield of alcoholic beverages being served liberally, addicts may find themselves more inclined to fall back into their habit, already facing an average rate of relapse somewhere between 40 and 60%. We already know that alcohol can have several different effects on our epigenetics, all of which are negative. We’ve seen that binge drinking as a teenager can severely hinder [more…]

Epigenetic Pathway Found in Ants May Help Explain Human Social Life

December 17, 2019 Andrea P

Social and environmental cues continue to shape our identities well into adulthood, including how we interact with each other socially. But what specific molecular mechanisms are at play here, that allow for this extended plasticity, and—providing a more immediate challenge—how do we study them? In a study out of the University of Pennsylvania, a group of researchers led by esteemed epigeneticist Dr. Shelley Berger wanted to dive into determining the role that epigenetics plays in social behavior. “How behavior becomes [more…]

Epigenetic Marks in Blood May Help Detect Early Alzheimer’s

December 10, 2019 Andrea P

Late onset Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of the disease, which affects over 35 million people around the world with crippling dementia. Recent evidence suggests that early intervention can help slow down the memory loss—one of Alzheimer’s hallmark symptoms. Earlier intervention can occur with earlier detection, and so researchers have been focusing on finding minimally invasive ways to diagnose the disease before the severe dementia fully kicks in. A recent study to this effect was published in Clinical [more…]

Teen Drinking Is Very Bad…For Brain Development

December 3, 2019 Andrea P

Adolescent alcohol exposure is a well-known, major public health problem affecting a large number of youths during a particularly critical moment of cognitive and psychological development. Characterizing its effects and potentially reversing any damage caused is therefore of significant clinical interest. “Adolescent binge drinking is dangerous and has long-term epigenetic effects on the brain,” notes Dr. Subhash Pandey, director of the UIC Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics and senior scientist at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center. “Understanding this mechanism [more…]

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