A study conducted on mice suggests that fearful responses may be passed down from generation to generation. The study involved mice that were taught to fear a scent by applying a small electric shock in the presence of the chemical scent. The mic eventually learned to associate the scent with pain. When the mice were bred, their offspring showed increased sensitivity to the scent as well. When compared to a group of mice that were not conditioned to fear the scent, a third generation from the conditioned mice still showed sensitivity to the scent. The next step is to find if the mice can unlearn to fear the response in an effort to treat PTSD and in preventing a genetic inheritance.
