Epigenetic Research Summary

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In the article, “Early-Life Experience, Epigenetics, and the Developing Brain”, a group of researchers were trying to prove that early-life experiences, along with parent-offspring interactions can cause epigenetic changes in the developing brains of infants and future generations. In order to observe these changes, a study was performed on lab rats. The researchers used many experimental approaches which included, natural variation in maternal care, early-life maternal separation, and strained mother-infant interactions (Kundakovic, Champagne, 2015). The study showed that rats who were away from their mothers for prolonged periods of time had increased levels of stress and had trouble functioning cognitively. It also showed that rats who received