Epigenetic Consequences of Social Status Across the Life Span

The social environment can have profound effects on health and wellbeing. However, the relative importance of social conditions at different stages of the life course, or the mechanisms underlying their effects, are not well understood. This study uses a powerful animal model, Kenya’s intensively studied Amboseli baboon population, to examine how  DNA methylation, an important epigenetic mechanism, is affected by social status both early in life and in adulthood. This work lays a strong foundation for understanding the relationship between epigenetics, social adversity and human health.