Experiencing trauma changes our genes

Why can we become depressed after experiencing violence, but also after a divorce or the death of a loved one? Why do war veterans suffer from anxiety and nightmares? And why can negative emotions cause physical difficulties? All of these questions are answered by a science called epigenetics.

Unpleasant, stressful and traumatic events become deeply etched in our memories. However, it is not only the memory that resides in our brain, but also the cellular memory. All of these negative experiences can trigger certain biochemical reactions in our body, which we call epigenetic, and these can then fundamentally alter the activity of many genes in our DNA.

The impact of severe stressful events on the development of depression, anxiety and other psychological problems has been relatively well researched. Some examples will be described in the following lines. However, epigenetics is a very young field, and we may in the future see a precise explanation of the mechanism by which stress and negative emotions trigger the onset of physical illness.

Why do soldiers have nightmares?

Very interesting research has focused on war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. This is a complex of symptoms that affect people who have experienced some kind of significant psychological shock (anxiety, depression, emotional envelopment, sleep disturbances, psychosomatic health problems, etc.). However, this problem does not affect all veterans with war experience, but only about 10-20% of them.

Researchers have found that veterans suffering from this disorder have significantly increased methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1-1F), which, simply put, means a different level of stress response. In addition, according to the authors of the research, it appears that severe stress can alter the methylation rate of certain genes and even reduce the volume of a part of the brain called the hippocampus, which is, among other things, the seat of memory and is very sensitive to stressful stimuli.

Are women more resilient than men?

In addition, in another study, researchers also came up with an interesting finding, namely that susceptibility to developing post-traumatic stress disorder is dependent on gender and blood estrogen levels. Estrogen (and other sex hormones) has epigenetic effects, i.e. it can alter the activity of many genes in our DNA.

When the researchers studied a large group of women, they included women who had experienced violence or sexual abuse in the past. In their brains, they found different levels of methylation of the HDAC4 gene, which is responsible for the development of post-traumatic stress disorder. The methylation rate of this gene was generally high in women who had been through a traumatic experience, but the methylation rate decreased in those with high estrogen levels. Scientists have even speculated that the rate of estrogen production might even alter the way and intensity of pain perception.

Depression from poverty

However, negative epigenetic changes may not only be caused by a serious traumatic event, but also by chronic exposure to much milder stressful or frustrating stimuli. For example, one study has shown that children from families with low socioeconomic status (i.e., poor or socially excluded families) have a different rate of gene methylation that can cause depression.

How does the “curse of the race” arise?

But what is a very groundbreaking finding is that negative epigenetic changes resulting from trauma are largely heritable.

The Tufts University research team subjected young male mice to significant emotional stress by completely changing the occupants of their cage fourteen times over a seven-week period, each time depriving them of all social bonds. He then took samples of their semen and found elevated concentrations of certain microRNAs, which are small stretches of ribonucleic acids that can completely block the production of proteins by certain genes. And because they are found in the sperm, the offspring of these males will inherit this epigenetic characteristic.

A similar study in a group of Caucasian men investigated the association of epigenetic changes with trauma. In those who had experienced significantly traumatic events in the past, they found high concentrations of microRNAs labeled 34 and 449 in semen. This change is also heritable, and because these microRNAs are related to brain development, it increases the risk of depression and other psychological problems in their offspring.

The inheritance of negative epigenetic changes related to stress is, in short, a form of “original sin” or “ancestral curse” – it makes the child feel the negative consequences of traumatic events that he or she did not experience, but that happened to one of his or her ancestors.

Both love and dietary supplements will help

Fortunately, a common feature of all epigenetic changes is that they can be reversed, unlike, for example, gene mutations. So there is a good chance that if a person suffers from, for example, psychological problems resulting from epigenetic changes after a trauma, it may be possible to reverse these changes and eliminate or at least alleviate the problems.

Currently, drugs with epigenetic effects (for example, affecting the production of certain enzymes) are even being developed, but these may not be needed in many cases. In fact, we are influenced in our epigenetic profile by a variety of stimuli related to our lifestyle and environment. For example, if a child who has suffered some trauma at an early age spends the rest of his or her childhood and adolescence in a loving, low-stress environment, this may alter his or her epigenetic patterns in a positive way.

However, a healthy diet, plenty of exercise, and dietary supplements with epigenetic effects can also play a big role. Many of them have significant effects on the activity of genes that are linked to the development of mental health problems.

In the case of children affected by trauma, the use of omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids is definitely worthwhile. These have significant antidepressant effects and are also essential for the proper development of the brain and nervous system. Vitamin D3 can also be beneficial. In addition to these two nutrients, adults can also try rosemary extract, curcumin, pomegranate (in case of depression) or Baikal coneflower if they suffer from anxiety – the latter is even able to cross the blood-brain barrier and bind to the so-called ‘blood-brain barrier’. GABA receptors, which is the same principle of action as anti-anxiety drugs (but without the negative side effects).