Intergenerational stress waves: Can chronic stress affect your future generations?

Can stress experienced by one generation affect the mental health of the generations after?

Turns out it could. This phenomenon, referred to as intergenerational stress waves by neurosurgeon and content creator Dr John Strugar, suggests that stress isn’t just a personal experience – it can leave lasting imprints that ripple across generations.

Strugar, in a recent reel, shared that a mother’s stress during pregnancy, for instance, can influence the developing brain of her baby. This impact stems from elevated levels of stress hormones, like glucocorticoids, which can alter the structure and function of certain brain regions such as the amygdala. “Stress can have a significant impact on the amygdala, which is a key part of the brain involved in processing emotions, particularly fear and stress responses,” he captioned the post.

 

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A post shared by DR. JOHN STRUGAR | NEUROSURGEON (@drjohnstrugar) 

Neha Cadabam, senior psychologist and executive director at Cadabams Hospitals told indianexpress.com, “This transmission (of stress) can occur through biological, psychological, and social channels, affecting not just the individuals directly exposed to stressors but also their descendants.”

Cadabam also said that these stress waves encompass the idea that experiences, particularly traumatic or stressful ones, can leave a lasting imprint on an individual, which can then influence their offspring through various mechanisms, including altered parenting behaviours and genetic modifications.

Can stress experienced by parents or ancestors influence the psychological wellbeing and stress responses of subsequent generations?

According to Cadabam, research indicates that stress experienced by parents can affect offspring’s stress response systems. For instance, children of parents who have endured significant stress or trauma may exhibit heightened anxiety or stress sensitivity.

Cadabam also said that stress effects can also be transmitted behaviorally where stressed parents might engage in less effective parenting strategies, creating an environment that perpetuates stress and anxiety in children.

How do intergenerational stress waves manifest in terms of physiological changes?

“Elevated levels of glucocorticoids (stress hormones) such as cortisol are known to influence brain development. Chronic exposure to high cortisol levels can lead to structural and functional brain changes, particularly in areas like the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, which are crucial for stress regulation and cognitive functions,” she told indianexpress.com.

These changes can impair neuronal growth and synaptic plasticity, potentially leading to long-term disruptions in both cognitive functions and stress management abilities in offspring.

Development of therapeutic approaches that focus on altering detrimental epigenetic modifications caused by stress could provide new ways to treat or even prevent stress-related disorders across generations, Neha Cadabam, senior psychologist and executive director at Cadabams Hospitals, suggests.

Development of therapeutic approaches that focus on altering detrimental epigenetic modifications caused by stress could provide new ways to treat or even prevent stress-related disorders across generations, Neha Cadabam, senior psychologist and executive director at Cadabams Hospitals, suggests. (Source: Freepik)

Mechanisms through which stress-related changes in brain structure or function can be inherited across generations

Cadabam lists several factors that can cause changes in brain structure and function to be inherited by future generations:

Epigenetic factors

One of the primary mechanisms through which stress effects are transmitted across generations is epigenetics. Stress can lead to changes in DNA methylation patterns of genes involved in the stress response, altering their expression without changing the DNA sequence itself.

Biological pathways

These epigenetic modifications can be inherited, and affect how easily the offspring can manage stress. Changes in gene expression of glucocorticoid receptors, for example, can make subsequent generations more susceptible to stress and anxiety.

Germ line transmission

Stress-induced epigenetic changes can also occur in germ cells (sperm and eggs), which means they can be directly transmitted to the next generation, influencing development from the earliest stages of life.

Potential implications of intergenerational stress waves on public health policies or interventions 

According to Cadabam, some public health policies or interventions aimed at reducing stress-related disorders are as follows:

Awareness and screening: Understanding intergenerational transmission of stress can help in developing screening tools to identify individuals at risk of stress-related disorders early in their lives.

Targeted interventions: Interventions could be designed to specifically address not only those experiencing stress and trauma but also their children, focusing on breaking the cycle of transmission.

Educational programs: Public health initiatives could include educational programs aimed at improving parenting strategies for stressed parents, thereby mitigating the transmission of stress effects to offspring.

Therapeutic approaches: Development of therapeutic approaches that focus on altering detrimental epigenetic modifications caused by stress could provide new ways to treat or even prevent stress-related disorders across generations.

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