Dynamic Genetics: We Have More Control Over Our Genes Than We Realize

Hey Steemians! Time for another technical article, and expect a beer review from one of the best Asheville breweries on the block later tonight! As always I appreciate any support via upvoting, following, or resteeming! Please comment as well, I would like to bring this conversation about genetics into the present and could use your help. As rapidly as our understandings surrounding this subject are developing, we should continue to mark the progress of our peers and have fun discussing this exciting material.

New research is beginning to indicate that contrary to previous understandings about genetics, our genetic make-up may not be as limited as we thought. In the past, genetics were widely considered to be static, meaning they are not generally subject to change. What we get is what we are born with, so to speak. But the more scientists begin to understand about our bodies and nervous systems, the more apparent it becomes that genetics are not that simple.

A major concept shaping the way researchers are beginning to view genetics is based on neuroplasticity, which means that our nervous systems change based on the stimuli we experience. We are constantly evolving to our environment, diet, activities, and all other internal/external stimuli. What implications might this have for your genetic makeup?

We may have much more control over the genetic changes taking place within our bodies than we previously realized. More studies are suggesting that genetics are dynamic systems, which implies that much like our nervous systems, they are subject to change based on our environment.

For example, Time Magazine recently wrote an article covering a study related to the effects of exercise on one’s genes. This study revealed that even a single workout increased the activity of genes and their ability to turn on and off. It is also explained that these same genes have a more difficult time turning on and off in people who do not exercise regularly. This is important because the study’s genetic results indicate a parallel with the behavior of neuroplasticity, revealing that our genes behave reactively much like our nervous system. This raises the question: what else do we do that affects our genes, and what is the extent that stimuli can change our genetic makeup?

Many of you have probably heard the cliché, “music is in my family’s blood,” and research has proven that musical genetics can be hereditary. But what if the act of playing music over a lifetime not only changes a non-musician’s neural connections due to neuroplasticity, but increases the likelihood of their children to have musical dispositions? This would mean that genetic traits are inherent because of previous genetic reprogramming.

An important study which supports this notion is reported in a collaborative scientific journal called The Genetic Basis of Music Ability. They state: “Music researchers need to move away from the dichotomous view of nature vs. nurture and develop an awareness of the intricate interplay between genes and environment. For instance, there may be possible genetic influences on ostensibly environmental components such as training-induced neural plasticity.” This means one could begin to facilitate the growth of musical genetics by practicing music repetitively. For a while we have seen genes as passive traits, and they may be relatively passive when passed down to a new generation, but we need to begin questioning whether or not these traits are developed actively much like our nervous systems throughout life.

As new studies continue to contribute to our growing understanding of genetic behavior, we get closer to knowing the role we play in our own genetics. The idea of altering and improving our genetic makeups may be possible, and the implications of these discoveries would be ground-breaking. While the fruits of this discovery will not likely the next cure-all miracle therapy, they could definitely prove to be a practical means for genetic training and improvement throughout our generations.
Works Cited

Tan, Yi Ting, Gary E. McPherson, Isabelle Peretz, Samuel F. Berkovic, and Sarah J. Wilson. The Genetic Basis of Music Ability. Frontiers in Psychology. (2014): n. pag. Web. 31 May 2015. <http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00658/full>

Excercise DNA
How Exercise Can Change Your DNA

Genetics
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/

Neuroplasticity explanation
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=40362

Neuro continued
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/410552/neuroplasticity

Nervous System
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/409665/nervous-system

Static
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/static

Dynamic
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/dynamic

Music genetic history
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00438-012-0683-y