title: Monoamine oxidase A genotype, childhood trauma, and subclinical atherosclerosis: a twin study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A functional promoter polymorphism in the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene has been implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders and also moderates the association between early-life stress and mental disorders, which often co-occur with cardiovascular disease. No study has examined the relationship between MAOA genotype, childhood trauma, and subclinical atherosclerosis. The objective of this investigation was to examine whether childhood trauma moderates the association between MAOA genotype and subclinical atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample including 289 middle-aged male twin pairs was studied. Subclinical atherosclerosis was assessed by brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD) using ultrasound. Childhood trauma, before age 18 years, was measured with the Early Trauma Inventory and included physical, emotional, and sexual abuse as well as general trauma. Generalized estimating equation models were used to test the main and interactive effects of the MAOA genotype and each domain of childhood trauma on FMD, adjusting for known risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  General trauma was the most prevalent childhood trauma (28.4%), followed by physical abuse (25.0%), emotional abuse (19.4%), and sexual abuse (11.6%). MAOA genotype was not associated with any domain of childhood trauma. There was no significant evidence for a main effect for the MAOA genotype (β = .02, p = .82) or childhood trauma (.005 < β < .10, p > .54) FMD. However, a significant interaction was observed between MAOA genotype and physical (β interaction = .37, p = .026) or emotional abuse (β interaction = .43, p = .025) on subclinical atherosclerosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Childhood trauma modulates the impact of MAOA variant on subclinical atherosclerosis, independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA. jzhao5@tulane.edu
authors.forename: Jinying
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Bremner
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: Arshed A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Quyyumi
authors.forename: Viola
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vaccarino
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D015233:Models, Statistical; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology; D014427:Twins / Q000235:genetics; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D008995:Monoamine Oxidase
keywords: MAOA genotype; childhood trauma; gene × environment interaction; subclinical atherosclerosis; twin study