Photo from: http://parentingaces.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/hands-of-four-generations-thumb2461134.jpg
The DNA is a wonder amongst plenty of things in our world. It dictates what your hair color is, your height, the color of your eyes-- essentially what we look like in and out. Some produce proteins, some even make us inherently sick. Recent studies even show that DNA can be our very own terazillion-byte thumbdrive, therefore it's not really as surprising as it should be that DNA can store other types of information in the form of memories.
Studies show that traumatic events are main precursor to the alteration of DNA, hence altering behavior of subsequent generations. Results of these studies show that changes to "both structure and function in the nervous system of subsequent generations" were observed, according to Dias and Ressler, the proponents of the study, leading to the conclusion that some anxiety and phobia have been genetically passed down from generation to generation.
A more ambitious approach to this theory hypothesizes that genetic history is so deeply rooted that it can be accessed through a subconscious trigger, and somehow, we could relieve our great great great (to the nth degree) grandmother's secret life as a member of an underground rebel organization fighting of DNA recycling.
Blogpost by: Criselle David
References:
Gallaher, James. "'Memories' pass between generations." BBC News. 1 December 2013. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25156510
Hammons, Steve. "Deep DNA memory thories: Can we remember our ancestors' lives?". UFO Digest. Retrieved from http://ufodigest.com/news/0706/dnamemory2.html
Dias, Brian, Ressler, Kerry. "Parental olfactory experience influences behavior and neural structure in subsequent generations" Nature neuroscience. 9 December 2013. Retrieved from http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v17/n1/abs/nn.3594.html
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