Verheijke, G.C. (2010) Nature, nurture and the perinatal environment in Syndrome X etiology. Bachelor's Thesis, Biology.
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Abstract
Nature and nurture are popular and well known concepts in both popular culture and science. The debate between nature and nurture proponents about which of the two is the most important originator of phenotypes has been silent for decades. Instead, a compromise has been reached where everyone has agreed that most if not all phenotypes originate from a combination of nature and nurture influences. In recent years, considerable scientific evidence suggests that during a specific timeframe in very early life, nature and nurture interact with each other by epigenetic mechanisms. Nurture effects on the mother are shown to cause dramatically differing phenotypes in offspring. This paper proposes a model that incorporates the perinatal environment as a bridge between nature and nurture. It will be argued that this model is a better representation of reality than the existing non-dualistic model. The paper will focus on the ways changes in the perinatal environment affect the etiology of Syndrome X. With syndrome X prevalence rapidly rising, attempts to better understand its causes are very important. The first chapter will better define nature and nurture in traits and states and introduce the nature – PNE – nurture model. The mechanisms of epigenetic changes in gene expression will be examined thereafter. The paper concludes with a chapter providing insight into specific sites of DNA methylation (an important epigenetic mechanism) that have been associated with syndrome X etiology.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor's Thesis) |
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| Degree programme: | Biology |
| Thesis type: | Bachelor's Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Date Deposited: | 15 Feb 2018 07:44 |
| Last Modified: | 15 Feb 2018 07:44 |
| URI: | https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/9336 |
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