title: Early family environment, current adversity, the serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism, and depressive symptomatology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mixed evidence has suggested that homozygous carriers of the short allele (s/s) of the serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) may be at increased risk for depression, if they have also been exposed to early or current adversity/stress. We address this debate by examining the relation of a stressful early family environment, recent adversity/stress, and the 5-HTTLPR to depressive symptomatology in a normal sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nonclinical sample of 118 young adult men and women completed assessments of early family environment, recent stressful events, psychosocial resources, and psychological distress, including depressive symptomatology. The 5-HTTLPR was genotyped using a standard protocol with DNA extracted from oral fluid.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A stressful early family environment was significantly related to depressive symptomatology. In addition, gene-by-environment (GxE) interactions were observed between the 5-HTTLPR and both early family environment and current adversity/stress. Individuals homozygous for the short allele had greater depressive symptomatology if they had experienced early or recent adversity but significantly less depressive symptomatology if they reported a supportive early environment or recent positive experiences, compared with participants with the s/l or l/l genotype.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early or current environment, in conjunction with the serotonin transporter polymorphism, predicts depressive symptomatology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 90095, USA. taylors@psych.ucla.edu
authors.forename: Shelley E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Baldwin M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Way
authors.forename: William T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.forename: Clayton J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hilmert
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Lehman
authors.forename: Naomi I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Eisenberger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012931:Social Environment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins