Can acquired traits be drafted into an “Epigenome” and passed down to future generations? Experience-driven epigenetic changes alter the genome conveying a modified chromatin state that stably persists throughout subsequent mitotic divisions possibly inherited by progeny through the germline. However, the mechanisms of how this happens are unclear. The adverse effects of prenatal ethanol have been shown to be transmitted across generations via DNA methyl marks on the hypothalamic proopiomelanocortin gene through male germline (Govorko, Bekdash, Zhang, & Sarkar, 2012). Additionally, a recent study revealed that fear memories can be passed on across generations via hypomethylation of odorant receptors (Dias & Ressler, 2014). These transgenerational effects have been demonstrated in cocaine addiction also, where cocaine has been shown to promote acetylation of the BDNF gene promoter in male spermatozoa of sires that self-administered cocaine. This resulted in male offspring that showed resistance to cocaine reinforcement and exhibited increased acetylation of histone H3 and BDNF mRNA and protein expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (Vassoler, White, Schmidt, Sadri-Vakili, & Pierce, 2013). Overall, these examples provide evidence that an epigenetic state, which
