We believe that calorie restriction causes epigenetic changes, the process by which the activity of our genes is modified in real-time. These changes can lead to altered behaviour in individuals which in turn could impact society as a whole. Mapping epigenetic changes in calorie-restricted animal models will identify how reduced calories alter behaviour. The physical benefits of calorie restriction are well known, namely, it leads to longer and healthier lives. Our data indicates that calorie restriction has the potential to relieve mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. However, encouraging individuals to adhere to calorie restriction is difficult. We plan to identify the biological mechanisms by which calorie restriction reduces anxiety and use this information to develop innovative pharmacological strategies for reducing anxiety and depression.