Adverse early life experiences are major influences on developmental trajectories with potentially life-long consequences. Prenatal or early postnatal exposure to stress, undernutrition or environmental toxicants may reprogram brain development and increase risk of behavioural and neurological disorders later in life. Not only experience within a single lifetime, but also ancestral experience affects health trajectories and chances of successful aging. The central mechanism in transgenerational programming of a disease may be the formation of epigenetic memory. This review explores transgenerational effects of early adverse experience on health and disease incidence in older age. First, we address mechanisms of developmental and transgenerational programming of disease and inheritance. Second, we discuss experimental and clinical findings linking early environmental determinants to adverse aging trajectories in association with possible parental contributions and sex-specific effects. Third, we outline the main mechanisms of age-related functional decline and suggest potential interventions to reverse negative effects of transgenerational programming. Thus, strategies that support healthy development and successful aging should take into account the potential influences of transgenerational inheritance.

不良的早期生活经历会对发展轨迹产生重大影响，并可能带来终身后果。产前或产后早期暴露于压力，营养不良或环境有毒物质可能会重编程大脑发育，并增加生命后期行为和神经系统疾病的风险。不仅是一生的经历，祖传的经历也会影响健康轨迹和成功衰老的机会。疾病的跨代编程的主要机制可能是表观遗传记忆的形成。这篇综述探讨了早期不良经历对老年人健康和疾病发生率的跨代影响。首先，我们讨论疾病和遗传的发展和跨代编程机制。第二，我们讨论了将早期环境决定因素与不利的衰老轨迹联系在一起的实验和临床发现，以及可能的父母贡献和性别特异性影响。第三，我们概述了与年龄有关的功能下降的主要机制，并提出了可能的干预措施来扭转跨代编程的负面影响。因此，支持健康发展和成功衰老的策略应考虑到跨代遗传的潜在影响。