Trauma across generations affects stress genes NR3C1 and FKBP5. A review finds DNA methylation changes in descendants of Holocaust, Dutch Hunger Winter, and Rwandan genocide survivors.

[u/sometimeshiny]

https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/7/3075

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[u/-Ch4s3-]

From the article:

the prenatal exposure of mothers to the Dutch Hunger Winter famine of 1944–45 has been linked to persistent DNA methylation changes in their offspring decades later [66,67]. These pioneering studies suggest that severe trauma or nutritional stress in one generation may correlate with biological changes in the next.

This is such a misleading framing of the Dutch Hunger Winter Study. It does not show that stress or trauma in one generation correlates, it shows that extreme malnutrition during pregnancy causes DNA methylation in the fetus which persist until adulthood. It’s a simple F1 methylation due to the prenatal environment not unconnected parental exposure.

The article has a giant section on healing “transgenerational” trauma and then goes on to say:

applicability to human contexts remains constrained by methodological limitations and ethical complexities. To date, clear evidence of deterministic transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in humans is lacking

This is a terrible paper and reads like it was half written by an LLM.

[u/Interesting_Aspect96]

Damn, these studies are absolutely terrible. It's as if someone is saying : Yeah we did a study and indeed, in population where the poverty is higher there are higher rates of people having increased levels of cortisol. DNA methylation in descendants? DNA METHYLATION IN DESCENDANTS )))

[u/Interesting_Aspect96 → u/Interesting_Aspect96]

how do you know the methylation of the people that have actually been there? what's the methylation treeshold for a normal human being? i`m poor from a poor country, is my methylation the same as someone with stable income from a rich country?

[u/sometimeshiny]

Abstract

Trauma can impact individuals within a generation (intragenerational) and future generations (transgenerational) through a complex interplay of biological and environmental factors. This review explores the epigenetic mechanisms that have been correlated with the effects of trauma across generations, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs. These mechanisms can regulate the expression of stress-related genes (such as the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) and FK506 binding protein 5 (FKBP5) gene), linking trauma to biological pathways that may affect long-term stress regulation and health outcomes. Although research using model organisms has elucidated potential epigenetic mechanisms underlying the intergenerational effects of trauma, applying these findings to human populations remains challenging due to confounding variables, methodological limitations, and ethical considerations. This complexity is compounded by difficulties in establishing causality and in disentangling epigenetic influences from shared environmental factors. Emerging therapies, such as psychedelic-assisted treatments and mind–body interventions, offer promising avenues to address both the psychological and potential epigenetic aspects of trauma. However, translating these findings into effective interventions will require interdisciplinary methods and culturally sensitive approaches. Enriched environments, cultural reconnection, and psychosocial interventions have shown the potential to mitigate trauma’s impacts within and across generations. By integrating biological, social, and cultural perspectives, this review highlights the critical importance of interdisciplinary frameworks in breaking cycles of trauma, fostering resilience, and advancing comprehensive healing across generations.

[u/Hopesfallout]

Is this the garbage paper that all those moronic claims about this are based on?

[u/TyrealSan]

You know what they say, "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger"

[u/-Ch4s3- → u/TyrealSan]

The person who posted this has this in their bio

My work directly refutes Darwin's failed theory of random mutation.

They’re anti-evolutionary science and trying to pass this preprint trash off as science.

[u/Daetra → u/-Ch4s3-]

Blerida Banushi Jemma Collova and Helen Milroy are the writers, so unless OP is one of them, attacking OPs character doesn't refute anything written in the article.

What exactly do you find problematic about the paper?

[u/-Ch4s3- → u/Daetra]

You can see my other comment. It mischaracterizes the Dutch Hunger Winter Study and makes a lot of bold claims about transgenerational trauma that are not supported by evidence in mammals. The mention that caveat but in a few places claim that the evidence is developing in animal models which isn’t true.

It’s also not peer reviewed which is a rule in the sub. It also seems to operate as a sociology paper masquerading as biology and just smacks of scientism.

[u/Daetra → u/-Ch4s3-]

Thank you for responding. Wonder if these types of studies are becoming more common now that LLMs can do the heavily lifting for ideologues who dont have a background in writing actual scientific research papers.

[u/-Ch4s3- → u/Daetra]

No clue, but I’ve seen some work that suggests that LLM text is making its way into papers in every field.

[u/MyBloodTypeIsQueso]

Just a quick note that “trauma” in this case is literally surviving genocide - not the stuff that people call “trauma” on pop psychology TikTok.