Epigenetics Research: New Findings Show How Life Experience Influences Genes Important for Obesity, Memory, and Mental Illness

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EPIGENETICS RESEARCH: NEW FINDINGS SHOW HOW LIFE EXPERIENCE
INFLUENCES GENES IMPORTANT FOR OBESITY, MEMORY, MENTAL ILLNESS

New findings also find possible therapeutic benefit of changing DNA structure

Washington, DC — New research released today demonstrates how environmental cues — from early childhood neglect to high-fat diets — affect genes important to brain health and development, sometimes into future generations. Moreover, scientists have found that using a drug to modify DNA structure may result in improved cognition for people with memory disorders. The findings were reported at Neuroscience 2008, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health. View full release.