Moshe Szyf: How early life experience is written into DNA

How early life experience is written into DNA

Moshe Szyf is a pioneer in the field of epigenetics, the study of how living things reprogram their genome in response to social factors like stress and lack of food. His research suggests that biochemical signals passed from mothers to offspring tell the child what kind of world they're going to live in, changing the expression of genes. "DNA isn't just a sequence of letters; it's not just a script." Szyf says. "DNA is a dynamic movie in which our experiences are being written."

Early life experiences trigger chemical changes that influence how genes are expressed, affecting lifelong health and behavior. In one striking study, rat pups licked more by their mothers grew up less stressed and more resilient. Mammals, including humans, inherit not just DNA but also epigenetic 'marks' that prepare them for the world their mothers anticipate. These changes can explain why social stress, poverty, or even natural disasters leave lasting imprints on future generations.