Unravelling the link between genes and the environment

In a symposium held Monday on epigenetics at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, in Washington, D.C., a number of scientists outlined their research on epigenetics and depression. Researchers from McGill found that separating rats from their mothers at an early age altered the methylation state of specific genes in the hippocampus, resulting in long-term behavioral changes. They found that differences in a mother's care, such as licking and grooming, can change the development of rat pups' hormonal and behavioral response to stress, resulting in lifelong changes in the pups' response to stress and how they process information about stressors. "This may reveal experience-dependent adaptability in the chemistry of the DNA and chromatin structure," said McGill researcher Michael Meaney.