title: Testing the diathesis-stress model: 5-HTTLPR, childhood emotional maltreatment, and vulnerability to social anxiety disorder.
abstract: Regarding the development of social anxiety disorder (SAD), a diathesis-stress paradigm including biological vulnerabilities and environmental stressors can be assumed. However, studies dealing with the etiology of SAD did not integrate both aspects so far. We examined a particular diathesis-stress model for SAD in which we included a functional polymorphism of the serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) as a genetic vulnerability factor and childhood emotional maltreatment (CEM) as an environmental stressor. Current analyses were based on individuals who participated in the Study of Health in Pomerania. Psychiatric disorders were assessed with diagnostic interviews according to DSM-IV criteria. The triallelic genotype of 5-HTTLPR was determined. Statistical analyses were performed in 78 individuals with SAD and 1,035 without an axis I disorder. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the experience of CEM (odds ratio [OR] 4.56; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.65-7.84), the l/l genotype of 5-HTTLPR (OR 2.13; 95% CI 1.31-3.48), female gender (OR 3.03; 95% CI 1.80-5.08) and younger age (OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.02-1.06) increased the odds for SAD. The data suggest that CEM, the l/l genotype of 5-HTTLPR, female gender and younger age are risk factors for SAD. This is in favor of the tested diathesis-stress model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ruprecht-Karls-University, Heidelberg, Germany. eva.reinelt@psychologie.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reinelt
authors.forename: Malte
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stopsack
authors.forename: Maren
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aldinger
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: Hans Jörgen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Grabe
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barnow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D002669:Child Welfare; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins