For some years, it has been clear that there were phases in the development of each of our brains over our lifetimes that were controlled by either the mother's or the father's gene contribution. Interestingly, this switching of control happens because the parent's genes are in competition with each other to control the development of their children's brains. Now it seems that even the individual nerve cells in the brain prefer one or the other of the parent's genes.....
Most kids say they love their mom and dad equally, but there are times when even the best prefers one parent over the other. The same can be said for how the body’s cells treat our DNA instructions. It has long been thought that each copy – one inherited from mom and one from dad – is treated the same. A new study from scientists at the University of Utah School of Medicine shows that it is not uncommon for cells in the brain to preferentially activate one copy over the other. The finding breaks basic tenants of classic genetics and suggests new ways in which genetic mutations might cause brain disorders.