The epigenetic profile of sperm from men who had high scores in the Trauma and Distress Scale, which measures memories of emotional or physical neglect and abuse, differs from men who had less trauma in childhood.
The study, published in Molecular Psychiatry, suggests that epigenetic changes persist, even decades after the traumatic events. More research would be needed to determine whether the epigenetic changes can be passed from a parent to their children, the study authors said.
Read more in Live Science.