Department of Psychology, 1202 West Johnson Street, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA.
Endocrinology. 2011 Feb;152(2):349-53. doi: 10.1210/en.2010-0793. Epub 2010 Nov 3.
The study of epigenetics allows for the understanding of gene × environmental interactions and provides a mechanism by which brief internal or external environmental changes can shape lasting differences in gene function and behavior. Epigenetic processes appear to impact a wide variety of physiological processes within the developing brain, including neuroendocrine function. An epigenetic model is proposed by which steroid hormones and the social environment induces appropriate masculinization of the brain by turning on and off gene transcriptional events. This minireview will discuss how epigenetic events influence sexual differentiation of the brain and point at examples suggesting that some epigenetic events can be quite dynamic.
表观遗传学的研究可以帮助我们理解基因与环境的相互作用，并提供了一种机制，使短暂的内部或外部环境变化能够塑造基因功能和行为的持久差异。表观遗传过程似乎会影响发育中大脑内的多种生理过程，包括神经内分泌功能。本文提出了一个表观遗传模型，即通过开启和关闭基因转录事件，类固醇激素和社会环境诱导大脑的适当雄性化，从而实现大脑的雄性化。这篇综述将讨论表观遗传事件如何影响大脑的性别分化，并指出一些例子表明，一些表观遗传事件可能非常活跃。
