Association of MAO-A Variant with Complicated Grief in Major Depression

Kersting, Anette; Kroker, Kristin; Horstmann, Julia Silissa; Baune, Bernhard T.; Hohoff, Christa; Mortensen, Lena Sünke; Neumann, Lisa C.; Arolt, Volker; Domschke, Katharina

doi:10.1159/000120624

Cited by 30 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…Research on MAOA activity outside the field of childhood maltreatment has shown some evidence suggestng that the high activity MAOA allele is a vulnerability factor. For example, depressed bereaved participants had more complicated grief symptoms with more MAOA activity than with less [65]. Meyer et al [66] demonstrated increased MAOA density among depressed individuals compared to healthy controls, suggesting that higher MAOA activity is related to depressive symptomatology among clinically depressed individuals.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Child Abuse and Neglect, MAOA, and Mental Health Outcomes: A Prospective Examination

Nikulina

Widom

Brzustowicz

2012

Biological Psychiatry

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Background Studies have examined the interaction of MAOA genotype with childhood maltreatment in relation to depressive symptomatology and alcohol abuse with conflicting findings. Both high and low activity allele combinations have been shown to be protective for maltreated children with direction of findings varying by study methodology and participant’s sex. Methods Participants in a prospective cohort design study involving court substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect and a matched comparison group were followed up into adulthood and interviewed (N = 802). Eighty-two percent consented to provide blood, 631 gave permission for DNA extraction and analyses, and 575 were included in the final sample. This sample included male, female, White, and Non-White (primarily Black) participants. Symptoms of dysthymia, major depression and alcohol abuse were assessed using the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule-III-R. Results Significant three-way interactions, MAOA genotype by abuse by sex, predicted dysthymic symptoms. Low-activity MAOA genotype buffered against symptoms of dysthymia in physically abused and multiply maltreated women. Significant three-way interactions, MAOA genotype by sexual abuse by race, predicted all outcomes. Low-activity MAOA genotype buffered against symptoms of dysthymia, major depressive disorder and alcohol abuse for sexually abused White participants. The high-activity genotype was protective in the Non-White sexually abused group. Conclusions This prospective study provides evidence that MAOA interacts with child maltreatment to predict mental health outcomes. Reasons for sex differences and race findings are discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Child Abuse and Neglect, MAOA, and Mental Health Outcomes: A Prospective Examination

Nikulina

Widom

Brzustowicz

2012

Biological Psychiatry

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“…higher activity alleles would confer increased risk for symptoms of MD whereas lower activity alleles have been associated with increased risk for symptoms of ASPD). Supporting this expectation, Kersting and colleagues found that the more active 4R allele of MAOA was significantly associated with complicated grief in female patients (Kersting et al, 2007). Similarly, Yu and co-workers found an increased frequency of the 4R allele among female MD patients as well as enhanced response to antidepressant treatment among 3R allele patients (Yu et al, 2005).…”

mentioning

confidence: 90%

Child maltreatment moderates the association of MAOA with symptoms of depression and antisocial personality disorder.

Beach¹,

Brody²,

Gunter³

et al. 2010

Journal of Family Psychology

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There is a growing body of data indicating that gene X child maltreatment interactions at Monoamine Oxidase A (MAOA) play a role in vulnerability to symptoms of Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) but not Major Depression (MD). Using a sample of 538 participants from the Iowa Adoption Studies, we introduce a conceptual model that highlights two distinct pathways from child maltreatment to symptoms of MD, suggesting that maltreatment has different effects depending on genotype and highlighting the importance of including the indirect pathway through ASPD. As predicted by the model, high activity alleles predispose to symptoms of MD in the context of child maltreatment whereas low activity alleles predispose to symptoms of ASPD. We conclude that the GxE interplay at this locus (MAOA) contributes to both symptoms of ASPD and MD and that careful specification of child maltreatment may be essential if genetic association research is to produce replicable results.

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“…They also found that the low activity variant of the 5HTTLPR (SS or SL genotypes) was associated with higher scores in depression, anxiety and somatic symptoms only among sexually abused adolescents with low MAOA-mVNTR activity alleles. Kersting et al 36 evaluated patients with major depression and a history of bereavement and they found that the longer allele of the MAOA-mVNTR was significantly associated with complicated grief in females.…”

Section: Major Depressive Disorder (Mdd)mentioning

confidence: 99%

O papel do polimorfismo funcional VNTR da região promotora do gene MAOA nos transtornos psiquiátricos

Nishioka¹,

Perin²,

Sampaio³

et al. 2011

Rev. psiquiatr. clín.

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Introduction: A functional variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism of the promoter region of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene has been described and many studies have investigated the association of this polymorphism with human behaviors, as well as with several psychiatric disorders. Objective: This study aimed to review the literature on the role of the VNTR functional polymorphism of the promoter region of the MAOA gene on the modulation of human behavior for the development of psychiatric disorders. Method: Searches on the Medline, Embase, Web of Science and PsycInfo databases were performed including works from January 1998 to June 2009. The words used were: "MAOA and human behavior" and "MAOA and psychiatry". Results: Several studies were found (N = 3,873). After the selection process, 109 papers were included in the review. There was found an association of MAOA low activity alleles with antisocial personality disorder, conduct disorder, ADHD, pathological gambling, and substance abuse. High activity alleles were associated with neuroticism, anorexia nervosa and depression and anxiety disorders. There was no association between the MAOA polymorphisms and bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Discussion: The main findings, summarized in this paper, support a role of MAOA VNTR polymorphism in some psychiatric disorders although some divergences were found due to methodological difficulties in genetic studies. In general, the studies associated the low activity alleles with impulsivity and aggressive behavior ("hyperactive behaviors"), and the high activity alleles of the gene with "hypoactive behaviors", such as depression and anxiety, which demonstrates a modulation of the MAOA enzyme in "hyperactive" and "hypoactive" disorders.

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Association of MAO-A Variant with Complicated Grief in Major Depression

Cited by 30 publications

References 71 publications

Child Abuse and Neglect, MAOA, and Mental Health Outcomes: A Prospective Examination

Child Abuse and Neglect, MAOA, and Mental Health Outcomes: A Prospective Examination

Child maltreatment moderates the association of MAOA with symptoms of depression and antisocial personality disorder.

O papel do polimorfismo funcional VNTR da região promotora do gene MAOA nos transtornos psiquiátricos

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