Here are some annoying details about epigenetics from a non-scientist who can only be taken so seriously:
Etymology
"Epi-" means “upon” or “above” and may refer to how your older brothers and your father inadvertently messed you right up by being pretty messed up themselves. “Genetic” refers to genes or inherited traits like hazel eyes or complicated dysregulation that might look subtle when viewed as a modification on your gene under a microscope, but will feel severely awful.
Epigenetic changes are modifications to DNA that regulate whether genes are turned on or off, or manipulate gene expression. For example, if your father was a POW for the last six months of World War II you might feel incapable of ever pleasing him, or anyone else, since he was incapable of ever pleasing his captors while they tortured him so much that it altered the way his DNA works.
Prozac isn't going to touch this, sorry.
Another example may be negative mental health outcomes resulting from your older brothers, whom you adored, being abused by your father, and becoming alcoholics. If, for example, one of them drinks himself to death and the other becomes very cruel and violent, you and your children, and their children might have/pass on fear and paranoia of older men which could appear unreasonable to others. But, you. have your reasons.
Also, you won’t stop loving your brothers.
Epigenetic modifications are attached to DNA and do not change the sequence of DNA building blocks, but they can put certain parts of a gene into overdrive. The expression of these genes might include a motherlode of cortisol production every time the school calls about a serious problem with one of your children. The behavior problem at school might be a direct response to inherited gene modifications that mysteriously encourage stronger reactions by your child than others in typical school situations. (Welp, mystery solved. It’s all because of the POW thing and associated starvation.)
BTW, it’s common for the overload of cortisol to make you drop the phone from shaking hands before you can answer it.
You may also experience:
Unbearable cold with blueing hands and feet when either of your children is hurt, emotional or angry for any reason,
Blurred vision and a stomach ache after learning your spouse is slightly disappointed that you bought him a dark blue instead of a light blue t-shirt.
Environmental Epigenetic Crap
Environmental influences, such as a person’s diet, can impact the epigenome as well. This could explain the urge to eat entire packages of Oreo cookies on a bad day, if your father was, say, 90 pounds after the Long March at the end of World War II, and shat only liquid, which was strangely white in color for another full month after he got home.
MODS
A common type of epigenetic modification is called DNA methylation. When methyl groups are present on a gene, that gene is turned off or silenced. Expressions in this case may include an inability to speak up or fight back when a man inappropriately grabs your tits, without invitation. Or a total silence in the face of sexual abuse by a neighbor or cousin.
This genomic modification can be enforced when you finally find the courage to report the problem and the response is either “Why didn’t you tell me sooner, there is nothing I can do about it now,” or more commonly, “Let's call him and see if you can hug it out.” This “silencing” gene modification will be familiar to multiple generations of women who continue to be threatened in life and limb for speaking out against abusers that raped or beat them.
That is to say, ladies, your genes have been altered to shut the fuck up and take it. You may even giggle awkwardly, in the middle of an assault, in order to make everyone feel ok, which might also help you survive. Do whatever it takes, baby. Then, get a therapist and smash the (epigenetic) patriarchy, because as I show below, therapy works.
Another common epigenetic change is histone modification. DNA wraps around histones, giving chromosomes their shape. These chemical groups influence how tightly the DNA is wrapped around histones.
So, you might be pretty freaking wound up.
I hope you don’t think that is the bad news. Because conditions such as cancers, metabolic disorders, and degenerative disorders are related to epigenetic errors too. War and famine are often to blame, of course. But why would that stop us?
Studies show that children of parents who suffered starvation early in their own lives had more heart disease. Even the sons of Union Civil War soldiers who were POWs died significantly younger than veterans of that war who were not POWs. Even the grandsons.
So, if your brothers were abused by your father and your father was a starving POW
with a broken neck
and his father was struggling
to provide for his family
during the great depression,
and one of your brothers
died alone in his bathroom
of an overdose
and the other one accused you
of raising a tramp
when your daughter was just 12,
And
accused you of slutty outfits,
And
Of the inability to get a husband
because you are fat,
And
terrified your children with his violence
you are probably going to get
Cancer 2. Leaky Bowel Syndrome 3. Alzheimer's, and 4. Acid Reflux.
Still, all is not lost.
Which is pretty phenomenal. Read on….
Mice who have been taught to fear the scent of cherry blossoms have offspring who are also afraid of the scent of cherry blossoms. The modifications to the gene can be seen under a microscope. This continues to the next generation and the next! But, when the fear is removed by teaching a positive association with the scent of cherry blossoms, to any of the generations, the modification disappears.
Get A Therapist
This really expresses to my genes that I had better double down on my therapy and stop this people pleasing BS right now. I am not a POW. I better help my female offspring stop that right now too. She isn’t here to please anyone! At the same time, I’ve got to help my male offspring to detach violence and aggression from his concept of manhood, which has surely been imprinted on his genes.
Epigenetics might offer us hope in other ways too, if we do it right. Patient education about potential epigenetic responses can promote healthier choices for individuals. Eventually we might even be able to look at genes and see how they have been modified in order to identify early therapies that might prevent suffering and disease.
But there is a big problem….related to what I call cultural brainwashing - which might actually be intergenerational trauma in the form of epigenetic modifications.
Scientists continue to explore the relationship between the genome and the chemical compounds that modify it, of course. That is good. But I wish I was kidding about this next part. In particular, scientists are studying the epigenome as it is passed through sperm because that is easier than studying eggs.
LIGHT READING:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190326-what-is-epigenetics
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6127768/
https://news.emory.edu/stories/2013/12/smell_epigenetics_ressler/campus.html