Question

In one study, rats licked frequently during infancy by their mothers were calmer than rats licked

infrequently when faced mm stress later in life. What is the most likely explanation for this?

a The rat pups that were frequently licked learned to engage in the licking behavior as a

. coping strategy during times of stress.

b Because mothers M10 chose to lick their pups had a calmer demeanor, their pups were

. raised in less stressful environments.
c By licking their pups, these mothers had influenced the expression of genes that

. influenced responses to a stress hormone.

d The "licking" prone mothers only cared for the calmest pups of the litter, causing the
. more aggressive pups to die prematurely.

Answer 1

The correct answer is letter C

Epigenetics is a term referred to as extra genetic information that, with the help of chromatin and DNA modifications, helps or inhibits certain genes. Gene expression follows an order: DNA-> RNA (transcription) -> Protein.

Studies relating epigenetics to maternal care have demonstrated, for example, the influence of the mother's behavior on the stress index in the postnatal life of the offspring, revealing that characteristics related to maternal dedication in rats - such as breastfeeding and licking the puppies - promote the decrease in the production of stress-related hormones in the lives of mice.