User:Beholding/wiki revision proposal

WIKIPEDIA PROPOSAL: Editing and Improving Two Articles

Ren Smith – Atkinson – NEU382E  – 02/12/2022

Articles for Improvement:

1 - “Epigenetics in Insects” and 2 - “Epigenetics of Neurodegenerative Diseases”

1.     To improve upon the existing article “Epigenetics in Insects,” I intend to elaborate on the existing information in the Wikipedia page and add new information as the field has grown significantly. Currently, the article only discusses DNA methylation as an epigenetic mechanism of regulation in insects, but there are multiple mechanisms that warrant discussion (including modifications at the post-translational level). While the article currently discusses two organisms of interest (honeybees and fruitflies), researchers have published reviews indicating that eusocial insects in general (including honeybees, fruitflies, ants, and more) are “model organisms” for epigenetic studies, and I intend to add that information to the Wikipedia page. Finally, there are many implications researchers have gleaned from the study of epigenetic mechanisms in insects, and I believe that the Wikipedia page should include a new section dedicated to such implications. This section will cite reviews that discuss what the community has learned about aging, disease patterns, and the implications of climate change from epigenetic studies in insects. To accomplish these modifications, I intend to remodel the original Wikipedia page to have three major sections: Epigenetic Mechanisms in Insects, Studies in Eusocial Invertebrate Populations, and Applications & Implications of Insect Epigenetics.

2.     This article has excellent legs and includes a great deal of information about the field of epigenetics in neuroscience. That said, the article relies too heavily on primary research and lacks substantiating medical review articles. While there may be some new information I can find and contribute to this page, I primarily seek to substantiate the existing publication by citing medical reviews, removing some of the primary research citations, and overall improving the credibility of the source material for the article. To accomplish this, I am combing through reviews on epigenetics and neurodegenerative diseases to determine where the academic consensus lies for the topics within the article.