#486 Kevin Mitchell: Psychological Epigenetics, and Other Fads in Neuroscience

<p>------------------Support the channel------------</p> <p>Patreon: <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thedissenter">https://www.patreon.com/thedissenter</a></p> <p>PayPal: paypal.me/thedissenter</p> <p>PayPal Subscription 1 Dollar: <a href="https://tinyurl.com/yb3acuuy">https://tinyurl.com/yb3acuuy</a></p> <p>PayPal Subscription 3 Dollars: <a href="https://tinyurl.com/ybn6bg9l">https://tinyurl.com/ybn6bg9l</a></p> <p>PayPal Subscription 5 Dollars: <a href="https://tinyurl.com/ycmr9gpz">https://tinyurl.com/ycmr9gpz</a></p> <p>PayPal Subscription 10 Dollars: <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y9r3fc9m">https://tinyurl.com/y9r3fc9m</a></p> <p>PayPal Subscription 20 Dollars: <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y95uvkao">https://tinyurl.com/y95uvkao</a></p> <p><br></p> <p>This show is sponsored by Enlites, Learning &amp; Development done differently. Check the website here: <a href="http://enlites.com/">http://enlites.com/</a></p> <p><br></p> <p>Dr. Kevin Mitchell is Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin. He’s the author of Innate: How the Wiring of Our Brains Shapes Who We Are.</p> <p>In this episode, we talk about psychological epigenetics. We first address what is epigenetics, and when people first identified epigenetic mechanisms or theorized about them. We refer to several mechanisms, involving chromatin, methylation, and others. We discuss if epigenetics fits into the larger puzzle of evolutionary theory. We talk about the problems and limitations of studies of transgenerational epigenetics done in mice and humans, and we refer to the Dutch famine and Irish famine studies. We refer to how psychoanalysts deal with epigenetics, and what it would take for a behavior to modify the epigenetic profile of an individual and then get transmitted to their offspring. We mention other fads in neuroscience, like neuroplasticity and mirror neurons. We discuss modularity of mind. Finally, we talk about how the science of epigenetics should be communicated to the general public. We end with a brief tease