At Neuroscience 2011, an annual meeting meeting of the Society for Neuroscience , new data was presented concerning the study of epigenetics. Epigenetics is the study of how traits acquired through environmental influences can be passed on from generation to generation; therefore it studies the passage of non-DNA information from generation to generation. The new findings exhibit that brain plasticity may be partially controlled by a protein, consumption alcohol and amphetamines by a mother can result in developmental defects in offspring (due to abnormal number of chromosomes in the brain), brain changes due to cocaine may be inheritable making the offspring more resistant to certain effects of the drug, motherhood deters some effects of stress, it is possible that certain behaviors (such as anxiety and depression) can are inheritable.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111114112013.htm