Bullying Can Change Child's DNA [study]

Research says bullying can alter genetics and mental health later in life.

Researchers at the University of Montreal are saying that bullying can alter a child's DNA and cause mental health issues later in life.

According to the study published in Psychological Medicine:

"...the level of cortisol, the so-called stress hormone, was suppressed in children who had been bullied. That reduction...resulted in a change in the structure surrounding a gene that regulates serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in mood regulation and depression."

Related research done by the same doctors found that children who were bullied also reacted poorly to stress, had more problems in social interaction and had more externalized problems, such as aggression.

The findings now make the assumption that a persons DNA stays the same their entire life, debatable.

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