5-HTTLPR status moderates the effect of early adolescent substance use on risky sexual behavior.
OBJECTIVE
A longitudinal, prospective design was used to investigate a moderation effect in the association between early adolescent substance use and risky sexual behavior 2 years later. A genetic vulnerability factor, a variable nucleotide repeat polymorphism (VNTR) in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene SLC6A4, known as 5-HTTLPR, was hypothesized to moderate the link between substance use at age 14 and risky sexual behavior at age 16. This VNTR has been associated with risk-taking behavior.


METHODS
African American youths in rural Georgia (N = 185) provided 2 waves of data on their substance use and sexual behavior. Genetic data were obtained via saliva samples.


METHODS
Substance use and sexual risk behavior were assessed using youth self-report items developed for this investigation.


RESULTS
Multiple regression analyses indicated that the presence of 1 or 2 copies of the short allele of the VNTR interacted with substance use to predict sexual behavior. Substance use had little effect on sexual behavior for youths without the short allele; this effect was greatly increased for youths with the short allele.


CONCLUSIONS
Genetic vulnerability affected the implications of early onset substance use for later sexual behavior.
Kogan
Steven M
SM
Center for Family Research, University of Georgia, 1095 College Station Road, Athens, GA 30605-4527, USA. smkogan@uga.edu
Beach
Steven R H
SR
Philibert
Robert A
RA
Brody
Gene H
GH
Chen
Yi-Fu
YF
Lei
Man-Kit
MK
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D001741:Black or African American / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D015995:Prevalence; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012424:Rural Population; D057566:Self Report; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins