Epigenetics, DNA, and Changing Genetic Risk
How DNA and the Environment Work to Determine Behavior
Clinical Expert: Barry Kosofsky, MD, PhD
Dr. Barry Kosofsky of Weill Cornell Medical College and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital talks about the new “buzzword” in behavioral health and genomics: epigenetics. The basic idea is that the way our DNA is expressed isn’t fixed; it can change based on a variety of factors, including our environment and experiences. And that means that genetic risks (for addiction, depression, etc.) aren’t fixed, either. With therapy or medication, we can control them.
This article was last reviewed or updated on December 5, 2023.
