Stressed-out parents make lasting impressions on their kids, according to a new study that finds the negative experience causes changes to a child’s genes that are still present in their teenage years.
The finding reveals a mechanism by which childhood experiences impact a person’s biology, the researchers said.
“This is very exciting, because we’ve shown that day-to-day stress in early childhood can predict changes in DNA that can be observed in adolescence,” said study researcher Marilyn Essex, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin’s School of Medicine and Public Health. “It’s further proof of the importance of those early years and the lasting effects of children’s family environments during infancy and preschool.” Curious? Continue reading
Source: Live Science
