Impact of psychosocial adversity on alcohol intake in young adults: moderation by the LL genotype of the serotonin transporter polymorphism.
BACKGROUND
Evidence from animal studies supports a role for serotonin transporter gene promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) gene-environment interaction (G x E) in the development of excessive alcohol intake. Few studies in humans have been conducted on this topic, yielding inconsistent results. The present study aims to further explore G x E between 5-HTTLPR and exposure to psychosocial adversity on alcohol consumption in a high-risk community sample of young adults.


METHODS
Data were collected as part of the Mannheim Study of Children at Risk, an ongoing epidemiological cohort study following the outcome of early risk factors from birth into young adulthood. At age 19 years, 309 participants (142 male participants, 167 female participants) were genotyped for the biallelic and triallelic 5-HTTLPR and were administered a 45-day alcohol timeline follow-back interview, providing measures of the total number of drinks and the number of binge drinking days. Psychosocial adversity was assessed at birth (family adversity) and at age 19 (negative life events).


RESULTS
In contrast to various previous reports, a significant G x E emerged, indicating that, when exposed to high psychosocial adversity, individuals with the LL genotype of 5-HTTLPR exhibited more hazardous drinking than those carrying the S allele or those without exposure to adversity. This effect, which was confined to male participants, held both for different classifications of 5-HTTLPR and different types of adversity.


CONCLUSIONS
One explanation for the discrepant results might be heterogeneity in alcohol phenotypes. While the L allele relates more strongly to early-onset alcoholism, the S allele may be linked more closely to alcohol use associated with anxiety and depression.
Laucht
Manfred
M
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany. manfred.laucht@zimannheim.de
Treutlein
Jens
J
Schmid
Brigitte
B
Blomeyer
Dorothea
D
Becker
Katja
K
Buchmann
Arlette F
AF
Schmidt
Martin H
MH
Esser
Günter
G
Jennen-Steinmetz
Christine
C
Rietschel
Marcella
M
Zimmermann
Ulrich S
US
Banaschewski
Tobias
T
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D000483:Alleles; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012931:Social Environment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins