Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma: How a Father's Bad Experience Influence Future Children's Behavior

Recent study shows that a father's childhood trauma can be passed to his offspring through genes. This intergenerational trauma can make the children prone to symptoms of such ugly experience which may include anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.

Heredity is a well known subject in genetics. Of course, almost everyone knows that information are passed down from parents to offspring through genes. However, a new study has shown that parents' life experiences, especially that of the father, can also have great impact on the children's genes, thereby affecting their lives as well. This is one of the many discoveries in the field of epigenetics which focuses on how environmental factors and other non-DNA sequence changes can influence gene expression without altering the existing DNA sequence.

The research which was published recently in Nature revealed significant associations between childhood maltreatment exposure (CME) and specific epigenetic patterns in sperm. In other word, past traumatic experiences can be passed from the father to the children, a process known as intergenerational transmission of trauma.

Intergenerational trauma refers to the passing down of traumatic experiences and their effects from one generation to the next. Such traumas may include historical traumas (like genocide, war or slavery), childhood neglect and abuse, severe economic hardship (poverty) or disasters like accident.

The Science of Paternal Trauma Transmission

The study conducted at the University of Turku in Finland, led by Dr. Jetro Tuulari, has provided a more concrete evidence on this subject. It has also helped to shape the way we understand genetics and the mechanisms of gene transmission. During the study involving a number of participants, the researchers were able to identify changes related to childhood stress in the sperms of the respective participants. These epigenetic alterations were detected in CRTC1 and GBX2, the specific genes related to brain development. The most shocking fact is that these changes persisted for decades after the childhood stress occurred. This indicates a long-lasting impact of such trauma on individuals genetic expression that can be passed down to the future generation.

Epigenetic Mechanism: The Process of Intergenerational Trauma Transmission

Some mechanisms are identified to act as bridges between our experience and genetic codes. These mechanisms can determine how our bodies read the DNA codes and how it interprets it. The basic mechanisms involved in intergenerational transmission of trauma include DNA methylation, histone modification, and RNA-mediated gene regulation.

• DNA Methylation: This is a biological process in the body where tiny chemical markers, called methyl groups, are added to a DNA molecule. This process can turn genes on or off, affecting how they work, without altering the DNA's actual structure or code. DNA methylation patterns are altered in response to trauma.

• Histone modification: Histones are basic proteins that are found in eukaryotic cells. They are rich in mostly two essential amino acids (lysine and arginine). Changes in histone can alter how tightly DNA is packed thereby determining which genes from the father are accessible for expression in offspring. This histone modifications is known to affect gene expression related to pain perception.
• RNA mediated gene regulation: Small RNA molecules can regulate gene expression, potentially carrying information about a father’s experiences to his children. During the study, a particularly notable finding was the reduced expression of hsa-mir-34c-5p miRNA in sperm from men with high trauma exposure. This specific miRNA plays a crucial role in brain development, suggesting potential impacts on offspring neurodevelopment

Effects of Intergenerational Trauma: How Your Fathers Genes Influence Your Behavior

Examples and case studies of Intergenerational Stress

How to Prevent and Heal from Intergenerational Trauma

1. Prioritize selfcare: Taking care of yourself, especially your health, can help you beat certain health challenges such as inherited trauma.
2. Seek professional advice: If you experience persistent stress, anxiety, signs of depression, substance abuse, addiction or other symptoms that make you suspect intergenerational trauma, seek expert advice immediately. It could be from a mental health professional, counsellor or medical expert.
3. Educate yourself and keep learning: Reading more about intergenerational transmission of trauma, anxiety, and related topics can greatly help you overcome.
4. Live positive and happily: Find means to be happy always, love people around you and stay positive all the time. This will help you beat negative emotions like hatred, sadness or other behaviors that may worsen your situation.
5. Know your history: Understanding your past, the life of your ancestors and their experience will help you know if you are a victim of this passed down trauma. Knowing it will help you heal from it.
6. Therapeutic approaches: An expert medical practitioner may consider both behavioral and biological aspects of your condition and offer appropriate therapy.
7. Environmental enrichment: Intergenerational trauma associated with economic hardship and poverty can be beaten through environmental enrichment. Where an individual changes environment or brought up in an environment with sufficient provision, the influence of such trauma may not be the case. Environmental enrichment can reverse negative epigenetic changes in the body.
8. Early intervention program: At-risk families or those who think they had a past traumatic experience may need to act early. You don't wait for symptoms to manifest in children before you act. 
9. Lead a life free from Trauma: Avoiding trauma or receiving early healing from existing anxiety may save your future generation from inheriting your ugly past.

Conclusion: Summary of Intergenerational Trauma and Epigenetic Disorder

If you found this article helpful and would like to learn more about intergenerational trauma or seek support, consider reaching out to a mental health professional or exploring reputable resources on epigenetics and trauma healing.