Re: Nature, nurture... or neither? Epigenetics is the new twist in an age-old argume

[Guest guest]

I have mentioned this loads of times - chronic stress has destroyed my

hippocampus and that's the reason why I can't spell, I'm not dumb.

Genitic, crikey! I can spell that - well, usually. But the hippocampus

is the most repairable part of the brain so there is still loads of

hope, I reckon. I forget most things most of the time (damn), but there

is still a glimmer left, and from that everything can unfold and renew.

The brain can re-invent itself.

Kv

>

>

> The future looks great for us who always believed we could change and

> get better, who never believed the genitic biological-chemical

> imballance theory of depression, alcohlolism, anxiety, or other

> emotional or mental disorders. The science just gets better and

better.

> Nature, nurture... or neither? Epigenetics is the new twist in an

> age-old argument It is a shibboleth of family life – that every

> individual is the product of their genes and environment, the one an

> immutable inheritance, the other a mutable array of influences and

> pressures with unpredictable outcomes.

> But new research has demonstrated that genes can change, identical

twins

> with the same genetic inheritance can turn out completely different

and

> the impact of environmental influences can be passed down the

> generations.

>

> The new science of epigenetics has shown that in addition to nature

and

> nurture, what makes us who we are is also determined by biological

> mechanisms that can switch genes on or off.

>

> These epigenetic (above the gene) " light switches " can affect

> characteristics as fundamental as autism and sexual orientation.

>

> Professor Tim Spector, head of the department of twin research at

Kings

> College, London, who has undertaken the most detailed twin studies in

> the world, cited the case of Iranian twins Ladan and Laleh, who were

> joined at the head and shared identical genes and environment and yet

> had different personalities. The differences led him to question the

> influence of genes.

>

> " Up to a few years ago I believed genes were the key to the universe.

> But over the last three years, I have changed my mind, " he said at the

> launch of his book Identically Different: Why You Can Change Your

Genes,

> which challenges the view that an individual's genetic inheritance is

> immutable.

>

>

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/nature-nurture-or-neither-epig\

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> enetics-is-the-new-twist-in-an-ageold-argument-7808598.html

>

<http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/nature-nurture-or-neither-epi\

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> genetics-is-the-new-twist-in-an-ageold-argument-7808598.html>

>

> Kv

>

[Guest guest]

What does this article mean that genes can change?  Your DNA can change?  I suppose this has been written by a journalist and so it might be better to read it with grain of salt or perhaps skip it.

 

The future looks great for us who always believed we could change and get better, who never believed the genitic biological-chemical imballance theory of depression, alcohlolism, anxiety, or other emotional or mental disorders. The science just gets better and better.

Nature, nurture... or neither? Epigenetics is the new twist in an age-old argument

 It is a shibboleth of family life – that every individual is the product of their genes and environment, the one an immutable inheritance, the other a mutable array of influences and pressures with unpredictable outcomes.

But new research has demonstrated that genes can change, identical twins with the same genetic inheritance can turn out completely different and the impact of environmental influences can be passed down the generations.

The new science of epigenetics has shown that in addition to nature and nurture, what makes us who we are is also determined by biological mechanisms that can switch genes on or off.

These epigenetic (above the gene) " light switches " can affect characteristics as fundamental as autism and sexual orientation.

Professor Tim Spector, head of the department of twin research at Kings College, London, who has undertaken the most detailed twin studies in the world, cited the case of Iranian twins Ladan and Laleh, who were joined at the head and shared identical genes and environment and yet had different personalities. The differences led him to question the influence of genes.

" Up to a few years ago I believed genes were the key to the universe. But over the last three years, I have changed my mind, " he said at the launch of his book Identically Different: Why You Can Change Your Genes, which challenges the view that an individual's genetic inheritance is immutable.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/nature-nurture-or-neither-epigenetics-is-the-new-twist-in-an-ageold-argument-7808598.html

Kv

[Guest guest]

Four drugs with epigenetic effects that can switch genes on or off are already on the market and 40 more are in development, he said.

But there are other, natural, ways of controlling them, too. Exercise has been shown to switch off the FTO gene, a key driver of obesity. Diet can also affect gene expression.

I would like to add that therapy, or self development (through hard work and persistance) can also reprogram your genes. My doctor has put me on the list for either CBT or analytical behaviour therapy, or something like that (a mixture of pschyoanalysis and cognitive behaviour therapy, I believe - I think it might be a type of CBAS), which depends on the the assessment. I hope to get the latter which will take up to a year and is much more intensive. I have always wanted to talk things through with someone and this important to me. Anyway, I can see myself arguing with the CBT therapist about the mertit of challenging thoughts. I can be very bloody minded.

Kv

>> > The future looks great for us who always believed we could change and> get better, who never believed the genitic biological-chemical> imballance theory of depression, alcohlolism, anxiety, or other> emotional or mental disorders. The science just gets better and better.> Nature, nurture... or neither? Epigenetics is the new twist in an> age-old argument It is a shibboleth of family life – that every> individual is the product of their genes and environment, the one an> immutable inheritance, the other a mutable array of influences and> pressures with unpredictable outcomes.> But new research has demonstrated that genes can change, identical twins> with the same genetic inheritance can turn out completely different and> the impact of environmental influences can be passed down the> generations.> > The new science of epigenetics has shown that in addition to nature and> nurture, what makes us who we are is also determined by biological> mechanisms that can switch genes on or off.> > These epigenetic (above the gene) "light switches" can affect> characteristics as fundamental as autism and sexual orientation.> > Professor Tim Spector, head of the department of twin research at Kings> College, London, who has undertaken the most detailed twin studies in> the world, cited the case of Iranian twins Ladan and Laleh, who were> joined at the head and shared identical genes and environment and yet> had different personalities. The differences led him to question the> influence of genes.> > "Up to a few years ago I believed genes were the key to the universe.> But over the last three years, I have changed my mind," he said at the> launch of his book Identically Different: Why You Can Change Your Genes,> which challenges the view that an individual's genetic inheritance is> immutable.> > http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/nature-nurture-or-neither-epig\> enetics-is-the-new-twist-in-an-ageold-argument-7808598.html> <http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/nature-nurture-or-neither-epi\> genetics-is-the-new-twist-in-an-ageold-argument-7808598.html>> > Kv>