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• 1/29/2010 11:17 PM Conrad Gill wrote:
  Epigenetics Eclipsed
  
  It has been awhile since I have seen/read Stephen King’s “Dolores Claiborne” but it is a film I have seen more than a few times and I have a fairly good recollection of the dynamics between Dolores, her abusive husband, and their daughter, Selena. After reading the Time Magazine article on epigenetic studies that Dr. BLT had recommended and related it back to the dynamics between the members of the Claiborne clan, it seems very possible that the abuse Selena had incurred from her father could carry on to future generations via epigenetic markers:
  
  scientists have now amassed historical evidence suggesting that powerful environmental conditions (near death from starvation, for instance) can somehow leave an imprint on the genetic material in eggs and sperm. These genetic imprints can short-circuit evolution and pass along new traits in a single generation (Cloud, 2010)
  
  In theory, epigenetics may seem to be a likely suspect for any recurrent behaviors such as physical/mental abuse or sexual molestation, however the article also reveals that most of the epigenetic research done was done using worms and other nonhuman test subjects, thus there has been little empirical research done that draws conclusive evidence for the impact of hereditable epigenetic markers in humans. On the other hand, it is common knowledge among most psychologists that when an individual has been abused in his/her childhood, he/she often times become an abuser his/herself thus carrying on a tragic family tradition of violence (or other) and sometimes that tradition is carried from generation to generation, not necessarily through DNA, but through modeling and learned behaviors.
  
  In my own personal experience coming from a background of abuse, I have found that I have learned to be a protector rather than abuser. Instead of carrying on a family tradition of violence that may extend to my wife or any other person that is weaker than me and a non threat to me or my loved ones, I have chosen to break that family tradition and no matter how angry I get, I will never hurt another like my father hurt me. I also have chosen a career path in which I might help to protect the weak and innocent against such abuse.
  
  (continued)
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  1. 2/6/2010 11:13 PM Laura Vahle wrote:
     Laura Vahle- Neurobiology of Learning- Psychology 732- Dr. Bruce Thiessen-02/06/2010
     Is the social behavior and learning in human life the antecedent to Epigenesis or the consequence?
     
     Dolores Claiborne is about learned behavior and also some survival mechanisms that the mother and daughter shared because of social learning; they are both survivors of family violence and sexual assault. If this were epigenetic then Selena would have a daughter and picked a drunk like her mother which in the beginning of the movie could have happened if she had not been called to help her mother. The repartee with her boyfriend or boss at the beginning of the film hints at the beginning of a hot and saucy affair she was having that had some major drawbacks. Selena admits later her romance was not really there for her. Selena broke the cycle of violence. She was able to take the compassion she had for her father and give it to her mother. Selena’s mother really forced her memory and so did the mortality issue facing her mother.
     
     Selena was not coming on to her father as he stated when he told his wife that she was a saucy and seductive child. Selena was not developmentally mature enough to have the abstract logic to be a full blown seductress (she was not operating at thirteen from a mature frontal cortex). Also most teenage girls have a crush on their father which a healthy father guides them to recognize as qualities that they may meet in an adult in their future when ready to form an intimate relationship with a peer; someone for who she will have special feelings. He will see her flirtatiousness as a new expression due to her age and stage of development as her ongoing need for approval and for affection. At times when adolescents are growing up they also fear separation from the family triad.
     
     Selena had her own flashbacks and a fugue state or perhaps the film makers’ poetic license to put her turned head in the mirror facing the door as a metaphor that she had seen herself in the past. I believe she had a glaring difficult full blown flashback when she saw herself as a child warming her hands intellectually unwilling and physiologically grateful. Most people do not hold both feelings at the same time as Hollywood depicted. It takes a lot of work in therapy to accept oneself for the physiological pleasure relief and mental disdain for the taboo of incest. The guilt is greater. Perhaps the alcohol dulled her frontal cortex so that she was not as critical of herself as she could be.
     
     Epigenetic? After reading the definition of epigenetic I still lean towards a social psychological and social learning explanation for what I viewed in the film Dolores Claiborne. What are they lacking in this generation is pleasure. The parents were working so hard to stay afloat during their economic strife. The values of Dolores are to free her daughter from bondage as an indentured servant. Maslow is well illustrated by this point.
     
     Are you asking us whether w
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• 1/29/2010 11:23 PM Conrad Gill wrote:
  Epigenetics Eclipsed (continued)
  
  Out of the four lobes it would seem unfair to leave any lobe out in connection to the role they played in the facilitation of recall for Selena’s memories concerning the abuse her father subjected her to. It is also hard to say for certain which lobe played the most profound role. According to my research the Frontal Lobe is involved with emotions and reasoning, and the Parietal Lobe is involved with sensing pain, so it would seem that the Parietal Lobe would be the first affected area of the brain in the process of facilitating recall of memories. In Selena’s case her Parietal Lobe would process the nerve impulses relating to the pain (physical and emotional) caused by her father’s abuse. Selena’s Frontal Lobe would then process the emotions (fear) concerning the pain and trauma of the abuse. Meanwhile, both Selena’s Temporal and Occipital Lobes would be collecting the information for the memories through auditory (Temporal) and visual stimuli (Occipital), finally depositing the information in the Temporal Lobe which is responsible for memory as well as hearing.
  
  According to my research on the affects of alcohol on the brain in relation to Selena’s father’s drinking problem and the affects it may have had on his fictitious gray matter, it is obvious that it would have to increase the potency of gamma amino butyric acid in his brain, thus inhibiting neurotransmitters that connect signals between nerves. The result of this signal blockage is a depression of the nervous system, thus resulting in lowered psychological functions as well as impairments in language and motor skills. There is no doubt that ones judgment is impaired by alcohol, but it is hard to judge whether Selena’s father would have still molested her if he did not have a drinking problem. There are plenty of cases of child molestation where the adult was completely sober, as well as plenty of cases of parents with drinking problems who have never molested their children, thus the implications of the scenario remain subjective.
  (continued)
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• 1/29/2010 11:31 PM Conrad Gill wrote:
  Epigenetics Eclipsed (part3)
  
  In response to the good Doctor’s question regarding his song “Through the Eyes of a Child” in relation to multigenerational perpetuation of abuse, it would seem the child/children Dr. BLT is singing about was abused at some point and still bares the emotional scars of this abuse and/or abuse he/she witnessed. I also like the way the vocal tracks were layered in and out of sync.
  
  Perhaps I am merely playing Devil’s advocate here but it does seem that the author of the Time article could be trying to sway public opinion in favor of pharmaceutical company sale as opposed to other types of therapy:
  
  The good news: scientists are learning to manipulate epigenetic marks in the lab, which means they are developing drugs that treat illness simply by silencing bad genes and jump-starting good ones. In 2004 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an epigenetic drug for the first time. (Cloud, 2010).
  
  Here we see yet another pharmaceutical drug being introduced to the public in order to cure or prevent a phenomenon that has not yet been empirically and conclusively proven. Later in the article the author talks about the large amounts of money poured into epigenetic research, thus revealing the most probable motive for its very existence.
  
  Here is something I wrote about child abuse:
  
  "Learned Helplessness"
  
  The Merciless berserker crushes the prodigal son
  Crazed is the father who’s temper is to far gone
  Say it with anger, because your not the only one
  Raised up another to carry the violence on
  Shameless tormentor, you taught me well to lose
  Thanks for the lessons that some would call abuse
  Gutless bully, violence helps you to vent
  Inkless tattoos, all to severe was the punishment
  I cant get back what you’ve stolen from me
  I’m to weak now to set me free
  Failure is all I will ever know
  There’s no where else for me to go
  The angry giant bellowed and stomped the cringing sod
  So as not to spoil the child by sparing the rod
  Now a damaged soul is crushed beyond repair
  The behemoth showed no mercy, left a mind impaired
  Ripped off his arms and beat him to death
  In the end a cringing dog was all that was left
  To afraid to try, and to beaten to care
  What is the lesson that’s been learned here?
  
  fin
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• 1/31/2010 5:31 PM Beth Zoeller wrote:
  (Part 1 of 2) I read Time Magazine’s article “Why Your DNA isn’t Your Destiny” and was surprised to find that our environments can affect the physical outcomes for our children. However, I did not see, and perhaps I just missed it, how epigenetic studies have shown a shift in later generation’s temperaments or personalities. Perhaps this is suggested through the physical changes that it can create in persons, maybe, what I missed in the article, is that through epigenitics physical changes can occur in the brain which would in turn change those areas as well. However, I would say there is huge evidence to show that modeling of behaviors will definitely affect the behaviors of future generations. This was seen in the movie in the area of poor coping skills by Selena (ie excessive medication usage, alcoholism, work-a-holic). Selena shows that she has learned poor coping skills from both of her parents (avoidance by the mother, alcoholism by the father). This maladaptive behavior is likely to be seen in Selena’s children too, should she continue to model it to them.
  In the movie Selena had blocked out memories of her father and the abuse that she sexual suffered as well as the domestic violence that was occurring in the home. According to an article by Anya Weimann (2007), in Cosmos magazine, a study implicates the front lobe in the suppression of painful memories and indicates that there may be a specific brain mechanism for suppressing memories. The hippocampus, which is responsible for storing strong emotional memories, may also be affected in the blocking of the memories surrounding her molestation. In an article by Rick Nauert PhD, entitled Repress Emotional Memories With Practice, Dr. Nauert also indicates that the visual cortex (visual recall) and amygadala (emotional output). It seems that as all these areas of the brain are needed for memory blocking, they would also be essential to the retrieval of the same memories.
  
  According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s Alcohol Alert, (http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa63/aa63.htm). Drinking can cause liver damage, memory lapses, blackouts and Wernicke–Korsakoff Syndrome (which can cause mental confusion, paralysis of the nerves that move the eyes, and poor muscle coordination), as well as the brain actually shrinking. The American Medical Association (http://www.ama-assn.org) indicates that drinking can cause the damage to the hippocampus which can affect a person’s ability to retrieve memories and learn. When I googled “alcoholism and decision making” I was presented with a smattering of websites and articles that reported that alcohol use can lead to risky sexual decision making (i.e., multiple partners, unprotected sex etc.).
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• 1/31/2010 5:32 PM Beth Zoeller wrote:
  (part 2 of 2)The father in Delores Claiborne, was noted to drink excessively; however, I do not believe that it was his alcoholism that led him to molest his daughter. In the scene in which the daughter finally recalls the sexual assault, the father does not appear to be intoxicated. He seemed completely aware of what he was doing and had even planned out where and when the abuse would occur. As such, I believe that regardless of the father’s substance abuse, the molestation would have occurred.
  
  The song “Through the Eyes of a Child” speaks of victims of child abuse and the life long scars those children carry with them as a result. The lyrics of the refrain “Another child grows up hated, never learn from mistakes that they were making, creates a generation full of escapin’, escapin’ through the eyes, through the eyes of a child” show that many children who grow up in abuse situations grow up without learning from the mistakes of their parents/caregivers and can continue to propagate the abuse they endured.
  
  Lastly, I am uncertain as to how epigenetics will play a role in ending the cycle of abuse. It would seem that, with the theory of epigenetics, that should we step in and change the situation for one generation, it would be better for the next. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case for child abuse. If it worked, children who were removed from their abusive parents early on and placed into an emotionally and physically nurturing environment would then grow to have children who were less likely to endure the same childhood, however, from looking at real life, this doesn’t seem to be the case. Children who are sexually abused are often noted to perpetrate sexual abuse on others, children who witness domestic violence and child abuse as children many times repeat the actions of their parents when they reach adulthood. Perhaps, I am just come from a strong “nurture” perspective (and rather cynical due to my experience in the child welfare system). Children are sponges who soak up the thoughts and actions of those around them, I am not sure how one could step in and change it so that the abuse would end with the current generation. Maybe some of my classmates/fellow Dr. BLT bloggers will be able to enlighten me as to an answer to this question.
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  1. 2/2/2010 9:29 AM Laura Vahle wrote:
     Michael Rutter, a child psychologist from England researched and wrote about the question do children who have been victimized perpetrate sexual abuse. He stated that in hindsight there are some case in which the child identifies with the perpetrator to regain a sense of power from a powerless event in his or her life. He writes that there is not a gene for sexual assault and that merely because a child is violated does not present genetic evidence that they will become perpetrators. The social learning is more complex than what we learn on a case by case basis. There is more of a likelihood that children emulate their parents drug and drinking behaviors which as you pointed out make the decisions about sexual decision making hazy and add that to flashbacks to abuse, acting out could occur.
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• 2/1/2010 2:40 PM Ashley Grando wrote:
  There has been research conducted by McGill University and Douglas Institute scientists retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/139938.php that shows that children involved in trauma have an increased risk to suicide. This would help me create my hypothesis to see if the changes that would occur in the epigenetic pointers resulting from witnessing family violence and the trauma of being molested would result in an increased risk for suicide for Selena and her future generations.
  
  Alcoholism has shown to shrink the frontal lobe which involves the functioning of behavior, intelligence, memory and movement. Because Alcohol influences behavior and affects inhibitions the act of violence and molestation may be involved in the shrinking of his frontal lobe. I would not consider this to be the cause of the father’s actions because many alcoholics do not participate in these acts. With stating this I think Selena’s father had a predisposition to incestuous acts and violence that the alcohol may have exacerbated.
  
  The three areas of Selena’s brain that would be involved in her memory blockage and memory retrieval are the hippocampus, the amygdala and the temporal lobes. The Hippocampus is thought to be involved with creation of long term memories. The amygdala is said to store emotional memories which I believe is where Selena’s traumatic memory would be stored. Long term and childhood memories are stored in the Temporal Lobes; The temporal lobes also involves the hearing functions which allowed the verbal cues Delores gave Selena to help retrieve the traumatic memory.
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• 2/1/2010 9:23 PM CATHY LAZARUS wrote:
  Cathy Lazarus//Dolores Claiborne/Cognitive Psychology
  Some areas of the brain impacted by alcohol intoxication are the Pons, Cerebellum, Cingulate Gyrus, Frontal Lobe, and the Amygdala. The frontal lobe is compromised while intoxicated causing a lack of inability to make rational decisions and slurred speech..One loses their inhibitions while drinking. They do inappropriate things that their brain would normally prohibit them from doing. Alcohol is a depressant and therefore affects the cingulated gyrus in the limbic system, which governs emotions. As a depressant, alcohol reduces our mental and bodily functioning. At the sensorimotor, drinking affects equilibrium often resulting stumbling, bumping into things, knocking them over, and falling down. This balance problem is normally controlled while not drinking by the Pons area of the brain. Selena’s father may have been a child molester even without drinking, but the drinking most probably allowed possible thoughts of abuse to turn into actual actions, which were escalated by the drinking because of his lack of moral control while drinking.
  Selena’s unconscious suppression of the traumatic memories inflicted upon her by her alcoholic father would affect the areas of the brain in the limbic system and the temporal lobe. The emotions that would have been generated by the abuse were just to damaging to Selena’s emotional stability and therefore, the protective memory functioning of the brain suppressed those horrific memories until cued at a time by her Mother when Selena was better able emotionally to deal with the reality of what had happened to her as a child.
  Selena’s childhood trauma caused her severe anxiety as an adult. Selena exhibited her own substance abuse problem by taking anti-anxiety medications to subdue the agonizing memories of her family’s dysfunctional past. Selena displayed symptoms similar to those of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Her repressed memories were an attempt to avoid recalling the stimuli associated with her traumatized past; the anti-anxiety drugs helped temporarily perform this function. Selena’s own condition, soft inheritance of a substance abuse disorder as theorized by Lamarck, could be passed to Selena’s own children. Selena’s own children, could mirror her adaptive behavior and incorporate it as their own. This inheritance of acquired traits in dealing with a mother having an anxiety disorder would perpetuate the dysfunctional methods of dealing with reality and the environment surrounding them by emulating learned behavior. Selena’s children could be the next generation of substance abusers including alcohol and drugs.
  The song: Through the Eyes of a Child is a good supplemental example in better understanding the theory of epigenetics. It is clear in the song that the child is gravely affected by the abuse, both physical and psychological, caused by her dysfunctional family. A child should be able to smile and be happy rather than cry and be miserable
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• 2/1/2010 9:27 PM Ashley Grando wrote:
  Response to the last two questions: The song “Through the eyes of a child” shows the multi-generational perpetuation of the cycle of abuse in the way that the child has scars of the abuse endured as a child throughout life. The way that the epigenetic marks could be removed to end the cycle of abuse is explained in article on http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507084001.htm that states scientists have found that these epigenetic marks that are on the DNA strands can be changed with treatments that change the DNA coating: the treatment is called DNA methylation and it reverses the change to the stress response. So if the treatments work the epigenetic marks can be removed so the cycle can end.
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• 2/1/2010 10:33 PM Aurora Nuno wrote:
  After reading the TIME magazine article “Why Your DNA isn’t Your Destiny,” I searched for additional resources that included information about this new and interesting area of study (epigenetics) in order to better understand exactly what this all entailed. Personally, I enjoyed viewing an online video that highlighted epigenetics provided by NOVA Science Now, which was also presented through PBS on July 24, 2007
  (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3411/02.html). The research on epigenetics primarily consisted of studying identical twin mice and humans in an attempt to explain how two similar beings could differ based on the influences of one’s lifestyle (e.g. habits) as well as environment (e.g. nutrition), which in turn affected the epigenome. From what I understood, the main idea of epigenetics is that environmental factors, habits, and experiences can influence one’s genes, which can ultimately impact future generations—children, grandchildren, and so on. Basically, this process is similar to a “spillover effect” in which our behaviors and way of living can affect the life of future generations, whether good or bad.
  Based on the character of Selena St. George in the movie “Dolores Claiborne,” the traumatic experiences she endured as a preteen, such as witnessing domestic violence as well as being molested by her father, might have possibly resulted in the epigenetic markers to be significantly altered when taking into account her environment throughout childhood. However, I don’t think it’s definite that Selena’s future children would abuse alcohol, nicotine, or any other type of substance that matched Selena’s behavior. On the other hand, her future children might be at risk for developing similar patterns as a way of dealing with their problems. I agree with Beth’s viewpoint in that modeling is a tremendous component that may influence the behaviors of others, especially young children. I believe that both nature (genes) and nurture (environment) play a significant role in affecting one’s behavior, thoughts, feelings, and overall individual characteristics. But, I think I follow more of a nurturing standpoint. When I think of modeling, Bandura’s social learning theory comes to mind, specifically the “Bobo Doll” experiment in which children were found to mimic the physical behavior in hitting the Bobo doll after seeing an adult perform the aggressive-like behavior. So, I think that if Selena were to have children, her children would be at a higher risk in not being able to function well in life, especially if they observed how Selena behaved and managed poorly with problems encountered in life.
  In describing the functions of various areas of the brain, I think of the cerebral cortex, which is comprised of the frontal, occipital, parietal, and temporal lobes. The primary functions of the frontal lobe deal with reasoning, planning, parts of speech, movement, emotions, problem-solving, and behavior.
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• 2/1/2010 10:38 PM Aurora Nuno wrote:
  (part 2)
  The occipital lobe is known for having to do with vision and visual recognition. The function of the parietal lobe includes bodily sensation and motor functions. Also, the temporal lobe is recognized as involving auditory sensation, memory, and speech. Next, the limbic system consists of the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus, which I believe is more connected with Selena’s condition. The function of the hippocampus is the formation of strong emotional memories and learning. In relation, the amygdala can be described as the emotional center of the brain. The hypothalamus deals with body function control, which is linked with emotions.
  The three primary areas of Selena’s brain that I believe were impacted in blocking out memories of being abused as well as remembering those incidents later on in life consisted of the hippocampus, amygdala, and frontal lobe. Selena’s memory of being abused was most likely blocked due to her emotional reaction of fear of what happened to her, which is associated with the amygdala. In addition, her frontal lobe may have played a part in blocking these disturbing memories since this area of the brain includes emotions, thinking, and behavior. The gradual retrieval of these memories was probably due in part to the hippocampus, which is responsible for the formation and storage of strong emotional long-term memories. Selena’s flashbacks were part of her recollection of what had happened to her, which was triggered by her mother’s reminders. In the end, Selena was able to retrieve the memories of being molested by her father from the hippocampus, which had been previously stored.
  After searching online about the effect of alcohol intoxication and areas of the brain that are impacted, I learned that the four lobes of the brain that make up the cerebral cortex (frontal, occipital, parietal, temporal) as well as the limbic system (hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus) are largely affected. Obviously, vision and other bodily senses are likely to be impacted which involves the occipital, parietal, and temporal lobes of the brain. However, the frontal lobe is primarily affected by alcohol intoxication in which a person’s reasoning can result in poorer judgment. In addition, alcohol can lead to memory impairments and blackouts, which is linked with the hippocampus. The website that listed this information also stated that the hypothalamus of the brain is affected by alcohol in which the more alcohol that is consumed leads to an increase in sexual desires; however, there is a decline in sexual performance (http://www.bloodalcohol.info/how-alcohol-affects-the-brain.php). Also, the cerebellum is affected by alcohol intoxication due to difficulty with movement and balance. Alcohol seems to affect most of the functions of the brain. Most of these characteristics of how alcohol can impact the brain seem to be demonstrated by Selena’s father.
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• 2/1/2010 10:51 PM Aurora Nuno wrote:
  (part 3)
  The frontal lobe was most likely the main region of the brain that was affected by excessive alcohol consumption as indicated by poor reasoning and behavioral abilities.
  Nonetheless, as Beth emphasized, even if Selena’s father weren’t to have a problem with alcohol, he would most likely continue to molest her. The boat scene is a perfect example, which Beth did an excellent job of describing. Selena’s father did not exhibit any behaviors of having drunk too much alcohol (he bought hot coco and coffee, not alcohol…right?). Moreover, I like to add that it seemed to me as though Selena’s father would seek her out by asking Dolores about Selena’s whereabouts. He did this once when arriving home from work and found Dolores already home (Dolores already knew about her husband molesting Selena) in which he was not influenced by alcohol.
  The song “Through the Eyes of a Child” takes into account the perspectives of children who have suffered some type of abuse. This song presents examples of physical abuse related to the cycle as indicated by memories experienced by the children included(scars on little girl’s face, boy being taken away from dad because he is getting hit). In addition to physical abuse, emotional abuse may be part of the cycle. For instance, a domestic dispute is incorporated into the song, which is harmful for any child to witness, especially those disputes that are intense. The theme of this song revolves around the painful life for children who endure any form of abuse.
  Epigenetics may be helpful in determining whether or not specific characteristics can be identified that shows a particular pattern of abuse among a family in reviewing the generations. However, I think that breaking the cycle depends on the resiliency of each individual. Having a strong support system as well as receiving some form of appropriate treatment may help break the cycle, hopefully.
  
  This topic was challenging, but I hope my response to the questions were somewhat understandable.
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• 2/2/2010 4:13 AM Sean wrote:
  Epigenetic research is quite fascinating and shows great promise for combating illnesses for future generations. Like the article states, Scientist hope they will soon be able to deter diseases such as cancer, schizophrenia, autism, alzheimer's and diabetes to name a few, by altering a biochemical switch that would instruct illness causing genes to lie dormant. This could revolutionize the way we look at preventative medicine. As a side note, I wonder if insurance companies would offer discounts to a person who’s immediate ancestors received epigenetic care for particular conditions that are deemed hereditary. Perhaps in the near future, we will be able to take a multi-epigenetic pill that will deter an array of unwanted genetic makers.
  
  Selena, in all likelihood would pass on to her kids the ill effects of abuse and trauma she experienced during her upbringing. Although I find epigenetic research and all the possibilities within it fascinating, I place more emphasis on the effects of modeling. I believe if Selena goes untreated, she will most likely create, through modeling, a maladaptive learning environment for her offspring. Possibly, even a physical abusive environment. As we all know, abused individuals (whether psychological or physical) generally come from families where abuse runs many generations deep. If epigenetic markers could be altered in Selena, I would imagine it would have a tremendous effect with regards to altering possible predispositions that they may have incurred as a result of Selena’s childhood trauma, such as, depression and anxiety related disorders.
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• 2/2/2010 4:20 AM Sean wrote:
  Continued: Alcohol primarily interferes with the ability to form new long–term memories, leaving intact previously established long–term memories and the ability to keep new information active in memory for brief periods. As the amount of alcohol consumed increases, so does the magnitude of the memory impairments. Large amounts of alcohol, particularly if consumed rapidly, can produce partial (i.e., fragmentary) or complete (i.e., en bloc) blackouts, which are periods of memory loss for events that transpired while a person was drinking. Mechanisms underlying alcohol–induced memory impairments include disruption of activity in the hippocampus, a brain region that plays a central role in the formation of new autobiographical memories (Aaron M. White, Ph.D.)
  
  I think alcohol helped Selena’s father become less inhibited, thus a contributing factor, but not the sole reason for her being molested. Most alcoholics are not child molesters.
  
  The three primary areas of Salina’s brain that affected her memory and her ability to recall past memories would be, the hippocampus, the amygdala and the pre frontal cortex. Also, recent rat studies have also suggested that the cerebellum may be involved in some way in remembering strong emotions, in particular, in the consolidation of long-term memories of fear. Salina regained her memory through a process of verbal and visual cues that stimulated her amygdala portion of her brain. After being back in the home she was raised in, (after being away for many years) Salina slowly started to recall painful memories that were once pushed deep down and forgotten.
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• 2/2/2010 11:35 AM Christianne wrote:
  "Why DNA isn't your destiny" , preprogrammed uniform versus our environment. Our DNA is a blueprint but does not give the final results. Our final results depends on the individual as the Architect. Research has shown abusive behavior stems from an environment, which can reflect one's future in family and relationships. Families with depressed members have a high rate of anxiety disorders. Selena chose to suppress the episodic memories of trauma correlated with drinking, abusing pharmaceuticals as well as a chain smoker. But from experience the cycle can be broken. Selena forced to face her past showed a sign of healing(without a drink or a cigarette)
  Episodic memory occurs in the right frontal lobe emotions, left temporal memory and parietal lobe sensing pain. Alcohol boosts dopamine pathways, nicotine a stimulant because of the stress level she felt due to the trauma. Ethanol decreases the activity in the occipital cortex, increases metabolic rate in the left temporal cortex and basal ganglia. disorientation, loss of memory, confusion and depression. (www.emedicinehealth.com, www.ncbi.nih.gov/pubmed/10888070). Selena's father's behavior of sexual abuse toward her still would occur even if not drinking which suppressed the memory.
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• 2/2/2010 12:33 PM Tanya Jackendoff wrote:
  The theme of the multi-generational perpetuation of abuse is introduced in the song by the beginning lines saying that this woman remembers her past, as the child of an abusive home situation, and how those memories cause her continual pain. She still carries that pain with her, and it consequently colors her outlook on the present.
  
  The field of epigenetics could offer insight into the multi-generational cycle of abuse. This is because physical and emotional environmental factors can actually change the way genes are expressed, without affecting the underlying DNA of an individual. In the instance of abuse, child abuse included, the severe stress experienced by a person actually changes their genetic representation. Researchers are now showing that one way this occurs is that the child abuse victims develop different epigenetic markings in a part of the brain that influences the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function, a stress-response that increases suicide risk.
  
  Research has also found that these epigenetic marks can be changed in adulthood with treatments that change the DNA coating: the treatment is called DNA methylation and it reverses the change to the stress response(Paddock, 2009). While this goes to show that epigenetic research can certainly contribute and add insight to stopping the cycle of abuse, I believe that the multi-generational patterns extend into learned behavior as well. The issue of abuse perpetuation is complex, and likely requires a treatment plan that is all encompassing, including both biological and social factors.
  
  Paddock, C. (2009). Child Abuse Causes Lifelong Changes To DNA Expression And Brain Retrived February 2, 2010 from: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/139938.phpmedicalnewstoday.com/articles/139938.php
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• 2/2/2010 2:49 PM kira fortner wrote:
  The traumatic experience of molestation not only affects the victim’s psychological make-up but may also create physiological damage that will be passed on genetically to the victim’s offspring.
  
  Epigenetic theory is an emergent theory of development. “Epigenetic changes represent a biological response to an environmental stressor. That response can be inherited through generations via epigentic marks” (Retrieved February 1, 2010 from http://www.time.com/time/covers).
  
  In the film, Dolores Claiborne, the character Selena blocks the painful memory of her molestation by her alcoholic father. Through vivid descriptions by her mother Selena’s memories are triggered. Initially Selena is able to block the memory. Human memory and cognition is complex and emotions play a large part in our memory capabilities. “Traumatic memories may be coded differently than ordinary event memories, possibly because of alterations in attentional focusing or the fact that extreme emotional arousal interferes with the memory functions of the hippocampus” (Retrieved February 1, 2010 ). Three areas of the brain that played a role in Selena’s memories would be the frontal lobe, the temporal right lobe and the hippocampus.
  
  In addition to being a sexual predator, Selena’s father appears to also be alcohol dependent. How does alcohol affect brain function? Only a minute amount of Alcohol is needed to affect brain function. The alcohol acts on important neurotransmitters such as the dopamine turnover and reward system. At least half of sexual assaults are committed by men who have been drinking alcohol at the time of the assault. (Retrieved February 1, 2010 from http://www.athealth.com/Practitioner/ceduc/alc_assault.html).
  
  While alcohol may be a factor in the incestuous relationship between Selena and her father, there would be other contributing factors. “Some of the systemic factors that influence whether or not incest will occur in a family include intrapsychic influences, relational variables, developmental variables, and situational or circumstantial that make incest more or less likely to occur” (Retrieved February 1, 2010 from
  (http://family.jrank.org/pages/848/Incest-Profile-Offenders.html).
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• 2/2/2010 5:23 PM Brianne Cameron wrote:
  Some people, such as Selena St. George who experience such traumatic events experience repression—the intentional forgetting of painful or traumatic events. I believe Selena was experiencing repression when it came to memories of being molested by her father. Dolores’ vivid reminders of the molestation helped Selena recover these memories.
  After reading Time Magazine’s article, “Why Your DNA Isn’t Your Destiny,” I am still uncertain as to how any changes in Selena’s epigenetic markers would impact Selena’s future descendants. Clearly, Selena suffered from addictive behaviors such as nicotine and alcohol abuse as a way to “numb” or deal with her problems. I agree with Aurora when she stated that Selena’s children could possibly learn the same coping strategies that Selena has used to deal with her issues.
  The Limbic System plays a significant role in the memory blockage and gradual recall of memories of Selena’s father abusing. The limbic system consists of the parts of the brain that control emotion and memory. The hippocampus, septal area, and hypothalamus are all parts of the limbic system that I believe play a role in the blockage and gradual recall of the abuse of Selena by her father. The hippocampus’ function is of memory formation, septal area has to do with memory and emotions and the hypothalamus regulates emotion.
  It was apparent that Selena’s father was an alcoholic, alcohol effects the brain in several ways. Chronic use of alcohol can damage areas of the frontal lobes, responsible for cognitive functions. This could of resulted in him being clumsier, slower moving, exhibit aggressiveness or “risky” behaviors. Alcoholism may lead to an impaired ability to form new memories.
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• 2/2/2010 5:26 PM April MacPherson wrote:
  Dolores Claiborne was a very intense and captivating movie that mainly relied on past memories to tie the loose ends of the story together. While Dolores (Kathy Bates) can easily recall the memories of her abusive husband, her daughter (Jennifer Jason Leigh) conveniently forgets the abusive monster of a man her father was, to her and her mother.
  
  Epigenetics refers to the change in the phenotype and gene expression caused by mechanisms other than changes in the underlying DNA sequence. Basically a person can shape their own genes for future generations depending on their lifestyle choices. Many of these changes can usually occur in negative ways. One particular observation I made in the movie is that Selena was an alcoholic and chain smoker much like her deceased father. I originally thought this could have either been a learned trait, or predisposed genes. After learning about epigenetics it makes me wonder if these poor qualities are something her father created in his gene sequence and passed down to Selena.
  
  In regards to Selena’s future descendents, I think it is safe to say that the trauma she experienced could definitely impact future generations. Although the article did not go into great length on whether or not epigenetics can affect personality traits or certain habits, it does seem highly plausible that abuse and depression could play a role in Selena’s descendents. Selena’s destructive addictions, including prescription drugs, alcohol, and smoking could also severely impact her future generations quality of health. It seems likely being that the research indicates that people with unhealthy habits can cause major health issues in their children and children’s children, and so on and so forth. Through modeling she could make a positive impact on future generations by dealing with her problems head on, which she begins to tackle in the movie, and discontinuing her poor lifestyle choices.
  
  It seems likely that Selena has blocked her memory for emotional reasons. The frontal lobe may be responsible for this, due to the fact that is involved in emotions. The hippocampus made it possible for Selena to retrieve her blocked memories as her Mom was reminding her about the awful things her father did, because the hippocampus stores long-term memories.
  
  There are many areas of the brain that are impacted by alcohol consumption. These areas include the limbic system, cerebral cortex, cerebellum, hypothalamus and pituitary gland, and the medulla. It seems most likely that cerebral cortex was most affected in the case of Selena’s father. This part of your brain affects thought processes and depresses inhibition while under the influence of alcohol.
  
  I do believe that Selena’s father would have molested her with or without the drinking problem, which prompted me to do some research. Certain articles seem to suggest that any form of abuse is not caused by alcohol, but that alcohol is routinely used as an excuse. He seemed to be a sick man
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• 2/2/2010 5:27 PM April MacPherson wrote:
  who used alcohol as his outlet to do things he probably would have had a more difficult time carrying out while sober, being that alcohol inhibits the thought process.
  
  After listening to “through the eyes of a child” it seems that these children experienced several forms of abuse throughout the years, which will undoubtedly impact their entire lives. This abuse and violence could carry out until adulthood and continue as a cycle through future generations. The field of epigenetics could potentially break the cycle by trying to get the victims of abuse to shape who they are, and tackle the problems they deal with in their past experiences in a more positive and effective way to possibly benefit future generations.
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• 2/3/2010 8:06 AM Colin Normington wrote:
  Let me start this post with the observation that another type of abuse was evident in the movie, psychological abuse (emotional abuse), yet not mentioned by Dr. BLT. There were numerous examples of this type of abuse by Joe St. George towards his wife Dolores. One such example includes the scene where Joe is watching T.V. while making nasty and degrading remarks towards his wife after comparing the figures of the ladies on T.V. with his wife’s figure. Another example is when Joe tells Dolores that there is no drug that can cure her ugliness.
  According to Gaddes and Edgell, (1994), whether someone remembers something depends to a certain degree on not only how striking and remarkable the mental image is but also on whether the person intends to remember it for a long or short time, and whether the memory is associated with a positive emotional response. The example given in the text is that someone is less likely to recall a phone number than passages from an exciting book. For me this means that Selena may not have remembered her father molesting her because she didn’t intend to and the memory of the molestation certainly would not have evoked a positive emotional response. I think that it is possible that Selena suppressed the unpleasant memories of her father molesting her as a girl. After doing a little research online about suppressed memories, it seems that two specific areas of the prefrontal cortex work together to regulate posterior brain regions like the visual cortex, the hippocampus and amygdale. These brain functions associated with these regions include visual recall, memory encoding and retrieval and emotional expression. Studies using emotionally disturbing imagery and MRI scans indicate that memory suppression occurs and is under the control of the prefrontal cortex.
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• 2/3/2010 8:08 AM Colin Normington wrote:
  Using epigenetic theory it can by hypothesized that the trauma Selena went through from witnessing physical abuse and experiencing sexual abuse could have been traumatic enough to have changed the epigenetic markers in her DNA. This transformation in her DNA could mean that her potential offspring would be more likely to develop some potential negative side effect. This would be more likely to occur if Selena happened to be pregnant during the time when she first starts to remember the disturbing memories of her father molesting her on the ferry. As the Time magazine article points out, epigenetic studies already indicate that environmental stress experienced by pregnant woman can lead to an increased risk of their offspring developing asthma. In my opinion, what would be more likely to occur is that instead of the traumatic memories leading to epigenetic changes, it would be all the drugs that Selena was taking (she had over six bottles of meds) that would more likely have the effect of leaving epigenetic marks. These marks then could have a detrimental impact on her offspring’s health. This would be similar to how in the Time magazine article fruit fly eye color was manipulated through exposure to the drug geldanamycin.
  According to my research, alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. It acts at many sites, including the reticular formation, spinal cord, cerebellum and cerebral cortex, and on many neurotransmitter systems. Alcohol abuse, as evident in Selena’s father, can cause neurological problems such as damage to the frontal lobes of the brain, reduction in overall brain size and an increase in the size of the ventricles. Chronic alcohol abuse can even lead to a vitamin B-1 deficiency called “Wernicke’s Encephalopathy” syndrome. This syndrome is known for impaired memory, confusion and lack of coordination. Chronic alcohol abuse can also lead to "Korsakoff's Syndrome." which is characterized by amnesia, apathy and disorientation. It seems very plausible that Joe’s alcohol abuse could have made it more likely for him to molest his daughter, at least initially, especially if he was experiencing apathy and decreased inhibitions. What is concerning to me is that he was sober on the ferry when he took advantage of his daughter and therefore was less likely to have been under the influence of alcohol at that time.
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• 2/3/2010 4:54 PM Colin Normington wrote:
  The lyrics of the song Through the Eyes of a Child deal with children who not only have to witness their parents being physical violent with each other, but also have to endure the pain, betrayal, and agony of physical violence directed towards them. These experiences leave deep emotional and physical scares on the children. As the children become adults, they then perpetrate the same kind of violence on their own children. It is through this cycle of violence, where the violent behavior is passed on to the next generation, that the theme of multi-generational abuse is introduced.
  
  Epigenetics could help explain why adults who have been physically abused as children are more likely to be abusers of their own children and spouses. In theory, the stress and emotional damage that comes from being abused could produce chemical changes that might leave epigenetic marks on one’s genes. According to my research, there is one form of a gene called monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) that is carried on the X chromosome and produces an enzyme that “mops up stress hormones in the brain”. How the gene is expressed in stressful situations could have an impact on the violent behavior associated with physical abuse. As the Times article suggests, it may be possible to develop drugs that leave their own epigenetic marks on the “violence” genes and potentially break the cycle of multi-generational abuse. Of course, one would still have to address the environmental side of the coin. One way would be to teach alternative behaviors to those that have had violent behavior modeled for them by their abusive parents.
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• 2/5/2010 2:56 PM Kylie wrote:
  1.)So, let us get to the bottom of epigenetices. In short, epigenomes, are tags that work as a memory force within cells which determine whether genes will be turned on or off. Epigenomes are constantly learning as they grow (from when sperm meets egg) due to their experiences. As the epigenomes grow, it sends transmitters to gene expression patterns. These gene expression patterns collect and gather information and encode them onto DNA. As time passes, each cell within DNA become unique due to different experiences. These experiences allow for the cells to form their own exclusive function. Within gene expression, when permitted, a specific cell will come into play and/or modify itself to the surrounding atmosphere. Altogether, epigenomes allow for humans to respond to their environment and hence, gain from experiences. Some of these experiences can include diet and stress, which can alter gene expression to shift making changes within gene expression. This plays a vital role within the creation in forming memories.
  In regards to Selena, she too was very much affected by her surroundings as a child. As the audience gains insight to Selena they find that she too became a dependent of alcohol, much like her father, and very much introverted like her mother, due to her epigenetics. Now, if she were to have kids, and if they too were growing up in a hostile home, they too could become an alcoholic like their grandfather and reclusive like their grandmother, and/or become reliant on prescription drugs like their mother. The epigenetics will just keep on carrying down generation after generation, unless Selena seeks the help that she needs, and works hard to keep her children out of an adverse environment.(Genetic Science Learning Center. "The Epigenome learns from its experiences." Learn.Genetics 1 February 2010 <http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/epigenetics/epi_learns/)
  
  2.) Selena suffers from repressed memory. This is when a memory is stuffed into a dark unconscious corner of the brain. As time progressed Selena’s memory began to unlock itself as she went back to her home town to take care of her mother, and she was surrounded by her childhood atmosphere. Michael Anderson, a psychology professor at University of Oregon, wrote a publication in Nature called “Suppressing Unwanted Memories by Executive Control,” and conducted an experiment that used brain scans to identify which part of the brain that actually suppressed memories. His research showed that Selena’s brain was suppressing memories with her left and right frontal cortex (which actually repressed the memory), which then led the hippocampus (a part that is used to remember memories) to become less active. (http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2004/january14/memory-114.html)
  3.)As stated by 1.800.DUI.LAWS, alcohol “acts primarily on the nerve cells within the brain. Alcohol interferes with communication between nerve cells and all other cells,
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• 2/7/2010 11:23 AM Laura Vahle wrote:
  Laura Vahle- Neuropsychology of Learning- Psychology 732- Dr. Bruce Thiessen-02/07/2010
  Is the social behavior and learning in human life the antecedent to Epigenesis or the consequence?
  
  Dolores Claiborne is about learned behavior and also some survival mechanisms that the mother and daughter shared because of social learning; they are both survivors of family violence and sexual assault. If this were epigenetic then Selena would have a daughter and picked a drunk like her mother which in the beginning of the movie could have happened if she had not been called to help her mother. The repartee with her boyfriend or boss at the beginning of the film hints at the beginning of a hot and saucy affair she was having that had some major drawbacks. Selena admits later her romance was not really there for her. Dolores and Selena broke the cycle of violence. Selena was able to take the compassion she had for her father and give it to her mother. Selena’s mother really forced her memory and so did the mortality issue facing her mother. Dolores was able to be honest about her desire to kill her husband. Had she changed her mind and put out her hand to help him out of the well chances are based on his documented history with her they could have both died and the film could have ended there.
  
  Selena was not coming on to her father as he stated when he told his wife that she was a saucy and seductive child. Selena was not developmentally mature enough to have the abstract logic to be a full blown seductress (she was not operating at thirteen from a mature frontal cortex). Also most teenage girls have a crush on their father which a healthy father guides them to recognize as qualities that they may meet in an adult in their future when ready to form an intimate relationship with a peer; someone for who she will have special feelings. He will see her flirtatiousness as a new expression due to her age and stage of development as her ongoing need for approval and for affection.( The healthy father is capable when his occipital, parietal, temporal lobes are not damaged and if his amygdale is not like a stopped up drain.) At times when adolescents are growing up they also fear separation from the family triad and their need for approval and reassurance accentuates their behavior.
  
  Selena had her own flashbacks and a fugue state or perhaps the film makers’ poetic license to put her turned head in the mirror facing the door as a metaphor that she had seen herself in the past. I believe she had a glaring difficult full blown flashback when she saw herself as a child warming her hands intellectually unwilling and physiologically grateful. Most people do not hold both feelings at the same time as Hollywood depicted. It takes a lot of work in therapy to accept oneself for the physiological pleasure relief and mental disdain for the taboo of incest. The guilt is greater. Perhaps the alcohol dulled her frontal cortex so that she was not as critical of hersel
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• 2/9/2010 6:05 PM Laura Vahle wrote:
  Homework for Dr. BLT's assignment on Dolores Claiborne PPP 732- The Neuropsychology of Learning~ Laura Vahle February 9, 2010
  
  Then formulate a hypothesis that suggests how, if untreated, trauma experienced in childhood, associated with family violence and violation at age thirteen, could impact future generations, if she were to marry, and subsequently have children.
  
  Hypothesis
  
  Selena St. George does not receive treatment for incest trauma. As a result of lack of treatment for herself when her own daughter reaches the age of thirteen she could develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms Delayed onset because of her attachment to her daughter and her unidentified fear that her daughter could be molested because she is thirteen years old.
  Time heals as well as therapy according to studies done in the twentieth century. Assuming that without treatment patterns of behavior pass from one generation to the next then; when her daughter is at the same age that Selena witnessed domestic violence she will develop intense anxiety and keep her daughter at home which after a loving early childhood will not make sense to her daughter and she will rebel and appeal to her father for freedom
  
  When Selena sees her daughter at age thirteen interact with her husband she will use projective identification to transfer as many ego dystonic parts of herself in the context of her own sexual molestation as she needs in order to function. Selena will then abuse and act cruelly towards her daughter who holds every negative quality of herself that she has projected on to her.
  
  Selena could start to abuse her children with entrapment which will look like protection. In high school when her daughter starts taking an interest in boys her mother will limit social interaction at school
  I. Consider how changes in the epigenetic markers alone could impact future Selena descendants?
  Selena has the following epigenetic markers on the DNA and RNA combinations for alcohol and nicotine addiction. The impression made on her genes will pass on to her children
  .Abstract:
  The invention encompasses a method for identifying subjects at risk for substance dependence by detecting the presence of polymorphism in the CHRNA5-CHRNA3-CHRNB4 gene cluster and the CHRNA4 gene. The invention also encompasses determining the response of a subject to a therapeutic substance, treating substance dependence in a subject, and evaluating the response of a subject to a substance
  
  Read more: http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20090176878#ixzz0f5OPh565
  Patent application title: GENETIC POLYMORPHISMS AND SUBSTANCE DEPENDENCE
  Inventors: Alison M. Goate Laura J. Bierut Jen C. Wang
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• 2/9/2010 6:11 PM Laura Vahle wrote:
  (part two of the homework assignment on Dolores Claiborne)II Consider the additional role of modeling and how it may interact with the epigenetic process to shape the behavior of her descendants.
  
  When Selena's children observe her heightened affect when she presents an anxious state and accompanying behaviors, they could imitate her as a form of unspoken guidance. If Selena treats her children as she treated her mother they could either identify with her and use her behavior to cultivate strengths or feel victimized, emotionally abused and neglected by her and produce OCD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, with possible ADHD sequelae.
  
  Then identify and discuss 3 areas of Selena's brain that likely played a role in facilitating, first memory blockage, and then, the gradual recall for memories of her father having abused her
  
  The frontal lobe of her cerebrum is the center for control of emotions as well as organization. The frontal lobe is responsible therefore for the suppression of trauma in the part of Selena's brain suppressing memory, the Hippocampus. Selena's amygdale is in charge of storage and retrieval of messages that are processed by all the senses except the olfactory sense. As the amygdala releases memory into the frontal lobe of the cerebrum, the incidents are reconstructed and organized into thought.
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• 2/14/2010 11:44 AM Michelle Wagner wrote:
  Having to deal with violence and sexual abuse throughout her childhood, Selena's sufferings continue to stay with her well in to her adulthood. Having no memory of the molestation she experienced pepretrated by her father, Selena seems to have suffered from a Dissociate Amenesia: a dirsuption in the usually integrated funtions of conciousness, memory, identity and perception of her environment. The diagnosis is characterized by an inability to recall inportant personal information, usually of a traumatic or stressful nature, that is too extensive to be simply explained as forgetfulness (DSM-IV-TR). Research on Betrayal Trauma, explained by J.J. Freyd (1996), explains Selena's memory loss as an adaptive response. Freyd states that when a parent/caregiver figure in a child's life violates a fundamental ethic of a human relationship, victims (such as Selena) may need to remain unaware of the trauma not for the sole purpose to reduce their suffering, but more so to promote survival. The repression of the traumatic memories enables Selena to maintain the attachement w/ her father to promote survival and development (Freyd 1996).
  
  Epigenetic studies have argued why DNA is no longer necessarily your destiny (TIME Magazine 2010). The possibility of Selena's epigenetic markers changing is high considering Selena has, as of yet, not been treated for her sufferings. To deal with her painful childhood and stressors of her job, Selena self medicates with numerous prescription drugs in addition to alcohol and nicotine abuse. If Selena has offspring in the future her children can be affected greatly. For example, studies have shown that Selena's nicotine abuse can lead to her child having asthma. The substance use can also result in intellectual decifits, which will lead to learning problems and thus difficulties in school. Openly modeling her substance use, Selena will be observed by her children and they will view substance use as permissable and be more likely to abuse the same substances as well. I also foresee Selena's offspring to not have strong family values either or the ability to form healthy relationships, as Selena has a toxic attitude towards her mother and the town she grew up in general and seems to not have any genuine connections with anyone, as evidenced by her isolation and her promiscuity in the workplace to land top stories.
  
  
  Areas of Selena's brain that play a role in memory blockage are the frontal lobes and hippocampus. Although it is not confirmed through watching the movie if Selena's father also physically abused her in addition to the molestation, physical damage to the hippocampus can play a part in the disruption of memory formation and stress as well. Recent studies have shown that memeory processes in the frontal loves and hipocampus are coordinated via reciprocal connections, and there is rising possibility that disfuntion in 1 structure can have an affect on the functioning of the other (pubs.niaa.nih.gov).
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• 2/14/2010 11:45 AM Michelle Wagner wrote:
  (cont.)
  
  Another area of Selena's brain that plays a role in memory blockage is the medial pre frontal cortex which regulates emtional responses to fear and stress.
  
  Ongoing alcohol intoxication, as Selena's father experienced, effects decision making and almost all cognitive functions in general. The hippocampus is affected with memory & balance impairments and motor coordination all around. Alcohol also damages the frontal lobes, which affects memory. Brain shrinking is also possible. There is really no way to tell if Selena's father would have still molested her if he was not an alcoholic, as alcohol is not an automatic indicator for abuse. The stop in the cycle of abuse through many generations can be possible with treatment of the individual and realizing that it is not the path they have to take.
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