Percy writes:
While Lamarck was wrong to think that acquired characteristics such as cutting off the tails of mice could be inherited, apparently less overt acquired characteristics *can* be inherited, though they are thought to be impermanent and in the absence of the original environmental factor will fade away and be lost.
I believe that PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is one of these characterstics.
I don't have any support, so the rest of this can be taken with a grain of talking-out-of-my-ass:
I think they've studied PTSD victims from the 9-11 attacks in New York.
Those suffering from PTSD usually have a chemical marker of some sort (levels of this or that are low or high... can't remember).
Even if the woman was born "normal" but then sufferes from PTSD... she can pass this PTSD onto her children. That is, those children have a very high percentage chance of also having the same chemical markers... even though the children have not had any trauma happen directly to them.
I believe the study also showed that such passing on of PTSD could last up to 3 or 4 generations... (with diminishing effects).
I don't recall anything about the affects fading away over time, but I don't see a reason to doubt that. Especially in the case of PTSD, "time" is one of the factors of the healing process anyway.
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