Michael Kobor, a Professor in the Department of Medical Genetics at UBC and Senior Scientist at the Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR), was quoted in a UBC release, saying “In children, we think slower epigenetic aging could reflect less favorable development progess.  The study, whose lead author was Sarah Moore, a postdoctoral fellow, emphasizes the value of cuddling infants and prioritizing close, comforting contact with your child.

UBC Faculty of Medicine, in their description of the study, note that it involved 94 healthy children in B.C.  “Initially, researchers from UBC and BC Children’s Hospital asked parents of 5-week-old babies to keep a diary of their infants’ behavior (such as sleeping, fussing, crying or feeding) as well as the duration of caregiving that involved bodily contact.  Then, when the children were about 4.5 years old, the DNA was sampled by swabbing the inside of their cheeks.

“The team examined a biochemical modification called DNA methylation, in which some parts of the chromosome are tagged with small molecules made of carbon and hydrogen.  These molecules act as ‘dimmer switches’ that help to control how active each gene is, and thus affect how cells function.

“The extent of methylation, and where on the DNA it specifically happens, can be influenced by external conditions, especially in childhood.  These epigenetic patterns also change in predictable ways as we age.

“Scientists found consistent methylation differences between high-contact and low-contact children at five specific DNA sites.  Two of these sites fall within genes:  one plays a role in the immune system, and the other is involved in metabolism….The children who experienced higher distress and received relatively little contact had an ‘epigenetic age’ that was lower than would be expected, given their actual age.  A discrepancy between epigenetic age and chronological age has been linked to poor health in some recent studies.”

A May 10, 2020, Canadian Press article by Michelle Ward, quotes Professor Kobor, who notes, “Human studies are messy.  These are associations and we can’t say that they are causal.  But there are a lot of associations between the early life environment, such as the amount of holding or family stress, and changes to DNA…How we behave with our children gets under their skin and can last a lifetime.” 

The article notes, “Researchers also caution that this area of study should not be used to blame mothers for not being a ‘perfect parent’ but to reassure them that the love and attention they show their babies has positive effects for a lifetime.  Research also shows that changes to the DNA may be reversible.  And although many of the studies involve mothers, nurturing from fathers and other caregivers is important, too.”

Sarah Merrill, a postdoctoral fellow in medical genetics at UBC, is quoted as noting that, with infants whose mothers have consistently responded to their early needs and to whom they show as secure attachment, the hormones and structures that control the stress response are better regulated so the infants can respond to a stressful moment but also turn that off after the threat has passed.