title: Refining the Candidate Environment: Interpersonal Stress, the Serotonin Transporter Polymorphism, and Gene-Environment Interactions in Major Depression.
abstract: Meta-analytic evidence supports a gene-environment (G×E) interaction between life stress and the serotonin transporter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) on depression, but few studies have examined factors that influence detection of this effect, despite years of inconsistent results. We propose that the "candidate environment" (akin to a candidate gene) is key. Theory and evidence implicate major stressful life events (SLEs)-particularly majorinterpersonalSLEs-as well as chronic family stress. Participants (N= 400) from the Youth Emotion Project (which began with 627 high school juniors oversampled for high neuroticism) completed up to five annual diagnostic and life stress interviews and provided DNA samples. A significant G×E effect for major SLEs andS-carrier genotype was accounted for significantly by major interpersonal SLEs but not significantly by major non-interpersonal SLEs.S-carrier genotype and chronic family stress also significantly interacted. Identifying such candidate environments may facilitate future G×E research in depression and psychopathology more broadly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vrshek-Schallhorn
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mineka
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Zinbarg
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Craske
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Griffith
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Eva E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Redei
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wolitzky-Taylor
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Constance
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hammen
authors.affiliation: School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Northwestern University and Cells to Society Center, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Emma K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Adam
keywords: 5-HTTLPR; Cox regression; chronic family stress; gene environment interaction; interpersonal; major depressive disorder; stressful life events; young adults