Inherited Memories

People have longed believed that they inherit behavioural characteristics from their parents but this has often been dismissed; it now appears that 'logic' was indeed correct:

Behaviour can be affected by events in previous generations which have been passed on through a form of genetic memory, animal studies suggest.

Experiments showed that a traumatic event could affect the DNA in sperm and alter the brains and behaviour of subsequent generations.

A Nature Neuroscience study shows mice trained to avoid a smell passed their aversion on to their "grandchildren".

Experts said the results were important for phobia and anxiety research.

The animals were trained to fear a smell similar to cherry blossom.

The team at the Emory University School of Medicine, in the US, then looked at what was happening inside the sperm.

They showed a section of DNA responsible for sensitivity to the cherry blossom scent was made more active in the mice's sperm.

Both the mice's offspring, and their offspring, were "extremely sensitive" to cherry blossom and would avoid the scent, despite never having experienced it in their lives.

"The experiences of a parent, even before conceiving, markedly influence both structure and function in the nervous system of subsequent generations," the report concluded.

The findings provide evidence of "transgenerational epigenetic inheritance" - that the environment can affect an individual's genetics, which can in turn be passed on.

One of the researchers Dr Brian Dias told the BBC: "This might be one mechanism that descendants show imprints of their ancestor.

"There is absolutely no doubt that what happens to the sperm and egg will affect subsequent generations."

Prof Marcus Pembrey, from University College London, said the findings were "highly relevant to phobias, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorders" and provided "compelling evidence" that a form of memory could be passed between generations.

He commented: "It is high time public health researchers took human transgenerational responses seriously.

"I suspect we will not understand the rise in neuropsychiatric disorders or obesity, diabetes and metabolic disruptions generally without taking a multigenerational approach."

In the smell-aversion study, is it thought that either some of the odour ends up in the bloodstream which affected sperm production or that a signal from the brain was sent to the sperm to alter DNA.

This would explain irrational phobias and aversion to smells and certain sights.

Do you have any irrational behaviour patterns that could be inherited?

Re: Inherited Memories

Answer to question ...... only the usual phobias
I think there is truth to this, I am nothing like my Mother or sister or brother ! I stand alone !!

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Now this I believe, I was often told by my gran I am exactly like my great grandmother in mannerisms and she died years before I was born and my gran was very unlike her. So it was odd I was very like her.

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I also look like and behave more like my Nan but she was very old by the time I was born and a series of strokes affected her abililty to communicate so the behavioural stuff has to have been inherited.

I always jump at sudden, loud noise (even if I'm warned it's about to happen) and now I'm wondering if that has come from the war years.

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Yeah, we discussed something similar to this before - as in reincarnation or something. Maybe, in some cases, much more is remembered than is good for someone.

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Hmm that's very interesting BV. For me I'm adopted so hard to find out but I often wonder whether I resembled anyone in my real family. It's a sense of not knowing where I really belong.

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Is this all that far removed from instinctive behaviour such as a new born mammal searching for it's mother's teat without having had time for it to be learned behaviour ?

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My first husband was adopted and I was more curious than him!

I can understand how you feel though Sandi but I hope you had a lovely childhood with your adoptive family. My first husband's mother (his adoptive mother) used to say to him that he was extra special as he was chosen rather than just came along

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I don't think science has always gone along with this though - they've always kind of poo-pooed (sp?) the idea of inherited memory but they seem to changing their minds. I think people have always believed it though.

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Alan that has a lot to do with scent, babies know their mothers scent and seek it out on the teat likewise other mammals.
If you have a weak puppy and hold it's nose to the dam for licking this reinforces the dams scent making it easier for the puppy to scent the teat.