Articles that explore the connection between epigenetics and diseases and disorders, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune disease, and more.
As we get older, our cognitive ability declines, especially our memory. Although aging-related cognitive impairment occurs naturally, humans have been fascinated since ancient times with uncovering a “fountain of youth” to ensure that our beauty, minds, and youthful qualities stay with us forever. What if we could stave off or protect our brain function as we age? With new research in epigenetics, we may be closer to finding out what’s behind memory loss and cognitive impairment. A study published in [more…]
It has long been acknowledged that the season during which you were born can influence you throughout your life in many ways – your height, lifespan, and maybe even your temperament. In fact, research has found a strong connection between the season of someone’s birth and their personality. A study in European College of Neuropsychopharmacology found that people born in the summer are more likely to experience mood swings, those born in autumn are less likely to be depressive, and [more…]
Every kid reaching for the junk food has heard mom and dad’s warning, “You are what you eat!” But parents should be advised that children can now offer a humbling retort, “No, I’m what YOU ate!” A new study by scientists from the Institute of Experimental Genetics at Helmholtz Zentrum München (Neuherberg, Germany) suggests that the metabolic consequences of mom and dad’s dietary habits can be inherited by their kids via epigenetic mechanisms. So in addition to inheriting a genetic [more…]
We’ve often heard that certain foods might have the power to reduce our risk of disease. There’s Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a major polyphenol found in green tea, that may help prevent tumor growth, or DHA, one of the major omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and nuts, that could protect neurons and perhaps lower the chances of developing a neurodegenerative disease. Now, even more evidence suggests that cruciferous vegetables may be able to slow the cell growth of one of [more…]
Different environmental factors experienced by a child can undoubtedly impact their life in the long run. Whether they were born into poverty, lack access to education, or are surrounded by violence, these experiences have the ability to dramatically disrupt their lives if they’re without the right support system. But, could a mother’s exposure to stress impact her child even before he or she is born? And could the way a mother treats her child buffer any adverse impact? Research on [more…]
What if stress experienced by fathers could actually be passed down epigenetically to their children, who then experience its effects later in life? Previous research has hinted that, in mice, trauma experienced by a father leaves epigenetic marks on his sperm RNA, which is inherited by his offspring who later express the same depressive behaviors as their dad. Also, another study that investigated the devastating Quebec Ice Storm of 1998 has suggested that prenatal maternal stress could trigger distinct DNA [more…]
Epigenetic reprogramming occurs to the developing mammalian zygote immediately after fertilization and is crucial for proper development. This reprogramming is defined as the erasure of epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation and histone modifications. Researchers continue to uncover new information about the changes made to epigenetic marks on the embryo’s epigenome. In fact, a new study has found that when the process of epigenetic reprogramming goes awry, it can have severe consequences later in development, for instance, leading to abnormal [more…]
Imagine if increasing a certain type of epigenetic enzyme could ease anxiety or cure post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by simply erasing troubling memories? What if it could also enhance cognitive abilities and improve long-term memory and learning? In previous blog articles, researchers found that an immune-suppressing drug that inhibits HDACs could stop aversive memories and the epigenetic mechanism known as histone acetylation might play a role in memory plasticity. Although we are far from developing epigenetic therapies to erase traumatic [more…]
Planaria, or flatworms, are often used as a model organism to investigate the fascinating process of how tissues and organs can regenerate. The flatworm has numerous stem cells called neoblasts and, when it’s injured, this intriguing creature can actually restore its own body parts. Researchers conducted the study at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in the lab of Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado, Ph.D., a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. In two related studies, they examined stem cell differentiation and the [more…]
The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is one of the most common human viruses found all over the world. It spreads via bodily fluids, especially saliva, and causes what many may be familiar with – infectious mononucleosis, or mono. This virus, when in its latent form in humans, can also lead to cancer of the upper-throat, or nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Researchers from University of Wisconsin-Madison have discovered that an epigenetic mechanism known as DNA hydroxymethylation can alter the virus’s DNA and impact [more…]
