Abstract
In a prospective-longitudinal study of a representative birth cohort, we tested why stressful experiences lead to depression in some people but not in others. A functional polymorphism in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter (5-HT T) gene was found to moderate the influence of stressful life events on depression. Individuals with one or two copies of the short allele of the 5-HT T promoter polymorphism exhibited more depressive symptoms, diagnosable depression, and suicidality in relation to stressful life events than individuals homozygous for the long allele. This epidemiological study thus provides evidence of a gene-by-environment interaction, in which an individual's response to environmental insults is moderated by his or her genetic makeup.
Publication types
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
- Adult
- Alleles*
- Carrier Proteins / genetics*
- Child
- Child Abuse
- Depression / etiology
- Depression / genetics*
- Depressive Disorder / etiology
- Depressive Disorder / genetics*
- Disease Susceptibility
- Female
- Genetic Predisposition to Disease
- Heterozygote
- Homozygote
- Humans
- Longitudinal Studies
- Male
- Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics*
- Membrane Transport Proteins*
- Monoamine Oxidase / genetics
- Nerve Tissue Proteins*
- Polymorphism, Genetic*
- Probability
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
- Stress, Psychological / genetics*
- Suicide, Attempted
Substances
- Carrier Proteins
- Membrane Glycoproteins
- Membrane Transport Proteins
- Nerve Tissue Proteins
- SLC6A4 protein, human
- Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
- Monoamine Oxidase