| Infant abuse not linked to genetics
Tue 28 Jun 2005 11:59 am CST
CHICAGO (myDNA News)
Reviewed: June 28, 2005 Rick Nauert PhD
Source: Medical News Today
News Center
http://www.mydna.com/genes/genetics/news/resources/news/200506/news_20050628_inabu.html
Intergenerational transmission of infant abuse is more
likely caused by early experience than genetic inheritance, new University
of Chicago research on macaque monkeys shows.
"Maternal abuse of offspring in macaque monkeys shares some similarities
with child maltreatment in humans, including its transmission across generations,"
said Dario Maestripieri, Associate Professor in the Department of Comparative
Human Development at the University of Chicago.
"The mechanisms underlying the intergenerational transmission of
abuse are not well understood," said Maestripieri, who is also an
affiliate scientist at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center of
Emory University. " Ours is the first study to show that rhesus monkey
females who are abused by their mothers in infancy tend to become abusive
mothers themselves, and the first to provide experimental evidence that
the intergenerational transmission of abuse is the result of early experience
and not genetic inheritance," he said.
Maestripieri reports his findings in an article, "Early Experience
Affects the Intergenerational Transmission of Infant Abuse in Rhesus Monkeys,"
published in the online Early Edition of The Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences USA the week of June 27-July 1.
Among macaque monkeys, most of the abuse occurs in the first six months
of an infant's life, and most of that abuse occurs during the first month.
The abuse consists of such behavior as biting, dragging or hitting.
Maestripieri and his research team cross-fostered female infants between
abusive and non-abusive mothers and followed these infants, along with
others who were reared by their biological mothers until they gave birth.
Nine of the 16 females who were abused in infancy by their biological
or foster mothers were abusive toward their own offspring, while none
of the 15 females reared by non-abusive mothers were abusive toward their
offspring.
In particular, the researchers found that none of the offspring who were
born to abusive mothers but raised by non-abusive foster mothers developed
abusive parenting patterns, suggesting that genetic factors do not play
a primary role in the intergenerational transmission of abuse.
The research may provide insights into how child abuse is transmitted
in human families, Maestripieri said. Researchers estimate that as many
70 percent of the people who abuse their children were abused themselves
growing up, Maestripieri added.
"In humans, we aren't ruling out genetics entirely, as some temperamental
characteristics, such as impulsivity, may be inherited and have an impact
on a parent's potential to abuse children," he said. "What would
be interesting to study would be the situations in which infants are abused
but do not go on to become abusive parents.
"In monkeys, as in humans, support from social networks may buffer
individuals against the negative consequences of early abuse, making them
more resilient and less likely to become abusive adults," he said.
Subject related articles:
Editorial
by Ushanda io Elima
Original Article: "Childhood abuse hurts the brain"
Link:www.news.harvard.edu
The article, "Childhood abuse hurts the brain," by William J.
Cromie does us a service. Although the information is not new (Please
see Resources below.), it is presented in clear, concise form. And since
the study of focus comes from Martin Teicher, an associate professor of
psychiatry at Harvard Medical School [italics mine], more readers may
take it seriously.
SCIENTIFIC PROOF-ABUSED INFANTS CAN GROW UP TO BE ABUSIVE
ADULTS
New evidence proving that children damaged at an early age can grow up
to be abusive adult
Proof-Abused
Infants Can Be Abusive Adults
and
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