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Tuesday, November 15, 2011

NATURE AND NUTURE SHAPE THE BRAIN

ScienceDaily reports new research demonstrating the impact that life experiences can have on genes and behavior. The studies examine how such environmental information can be transmitted from one generation to the next--a phenomenon known as epigenetics. The new knowledge could ultimately improve understanding of brain plasticity, the cognitive benefits of motherhood, and how a parent's exposure to drugs, alcohol, and stress can alter brain development and behavior in their offspring. The findings were presented at Neuroscience 2011, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of news about the science and health of the brain.