Abstract
The characteristics of the family in which we grow up can be a source of risk for psychological disorders and addictions - socio-economic and demographic factors, parental psychological disorders, violence... But the family can also be a source of protection, because it's with parents and siblings that we create the first emotional and relational bonds, which largely condition the way we interact with the world during childhood and beyond. What are the biological, psychological and social mechanisms by which the characteristics of parents and families of origin can influence the mental health and addiction risk of people ? What do we know about interventions with parents and their effects on the mental health of descendants ? Are there ways of transforming a complex heritage to stop intergenerational transmission ?
The lecture will be followed by a seminar on epigenetic transmission mechanisms that could contribute to the risk of intergenerational transmission of psychological difficulties and addiction. Research into epigenetics has opened up new opportunities for understanding the possible interactions between innate and acquired, as well as the ways in which certain risks are transmitted between generations. What do we know about this subject today ? What epigenetic markers have been identified as being associated with mental health and addiction ? What are the prospects and future developments for research on this topic ?
