Epigenetics and Behavior

Epigenetics and Behavior: Exploring Biological Determinants of Behavior discusses the evolutionary basis of neurodevelopmental regulation of gene expression by experience (epigenetics). While many areas of scientific inquiry have sought to understand what determines the variation in human attributes (phenotypes) that have consistent trait-like features, including anxiety or fearlessness, aggressive or non-aggressive behavior, social or antisocial behavior, charitable or miserly traits, and so forth, this book takes a comprehensive approach.

Over the lifespan of a particular individual, these traits, although flexible, are often highly consistent. The "nature-nurture or "genes versus environment discussion is one of the longstanding arguments in all philosophical inquiry. And now, as we stand on the threshold of a complete understanding of the most fundamental question about human nature, all a result of combined empirical and theoretical advances in epigenetics which influence developmental psychobiology and evolutionary biology, the science is rapidly progressing.

With the advent of epigenetics, we now have a mechanism (or mechanisms, really) to explain how this process works at a molecular level - that is, evolutionary selected mechanisms of gene-environment interactions are literally "written into our genetic code. This book draws together the knowledge and ideas from the different fields that collectively have answered the "nature-nurture discussion.

• Integrates the findings of developmental psychobiology with epigenetics in an evolutionary context
• Written to convey a new perspective on epigenetic effects on behavior, while maintaining fluid writing prose for the uninformed reader
• Assembles knowledge from a number of fields, including developmental psychobiology, genomics, epigenetics, and evolutionary biology to paint a precise picture of epigenetic influences on personality