Maternal care during the early postnatal period of altricial mammals is a key factor in the survival and adaptation of offspring to environmental conditions. Natural variations in maternal care and experimental manipulations with maternal–child relationships modeling early‐life adversity (ELA) in laboratory rats and mice have a strong long‐term influence on the physiology and behavior of offspring in rats and mice. This literature review is devoted to the latest research on the role of epigenetic mechanisms in these effects of ELA and mother–infant relationship, with a focus on the regulation of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor. An important part of this review is dedicated to pharmacological interventions and epigenetic editing as tools for studying the causal role of epigenetic mechanisms in the development of physiological and behavioral profiles. A special section of the manuscript will discuss the translational potential of the discussed research.

中文翻译：

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表观遗传机制在早年逆境和母婴关系对实验室大鼠和小鼠后代生理和行为的长期影响中的作用

晚熟哺乳动物产后早期的母性护理是后代生存和适应环境条件的关键因素。孕产妇护理的自然变化以及模拟实验室大鼠和小鼠早期生命逆境（ELA）的母子关系实验操作对大鼠和小鼠后代的生理和行为具有强烈的长期影响。本文综述了表观遗传机制在 ELA 和母婴关系中的作用的最新研究，重点关注下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴和脑源性神经营养因子的调节。本综述的一个重要部分致力于药理学干预和表观遗传编辑作为研究表观遗传机制在生理和行为特征发展中因果作用的工具。手稿的一个特殊部分将讨论所讨论研究的转化潜力。