Early family environment, current adversity, the serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism, and depressive symptomatology.
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.
Taylor
Shelley E
SE
Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 90095, USA. taylors@psych.ucla.edu
Way
Baldwin M
BM
Welch
William T
WT
Hilmert
Clayton J
CJ
Lehman
Barbara J
BJ
Eisenberger
Naomi I
NI
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
D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins