Child dopamine active transporter 1 genotype and parenting: Evidence for evocative gene–environment correlations

Abstract

The dopamine transporter (DAT1) gene is implicated in psychopathology risk. While the processes by which this gene exerts its effects on risk are poorly understood, a small body of research suggests that DAT1 influences early emerging negative emotionality (NE), a marker of children’s psychopathology risk. As child NE evokes negative parenting practices, the DAT1 may also play a role in gene-environment correlations. To test this model, children (N = 365) were genotyped for DAT1 and participated in standardized parent-child interaction tasks with their primary caregiver. The DAT1 9-repeat variant was associated with child negative affect expressed toward the parent during parent-child interactions, and parents of children with a 9-repeat allele exhibited more hostility and lower guidance/engagement than parents of children without a 9-repeat allele. These gene-environment associations were partially mediated by child negative affect toward the parent. Findings implicate a specific polymorphism in eliciting negative parenting, suggesting that evocative associations play a role in elevating children’s risk for emotional trajectories toward psychopathology risk.

Behavior and inhibitory control in children with prenatal exposure to antidepressants and medically untreated depression

“…This homogeneity is fairly rare in terms of studies of antidepressant use, and it is an important strength in terms of increased statistical control over the effects of SSRIs. At the same time, high socioeconomic status may be buffering against possibly unfortunate consequences of the prenatal exposure, as is suggested by several lines of research (Belsky and Pluess 2009;Branchi 2011;Hayden et al 2013;Homberg and Lesch 2010;Pluess et al 2011). Literature on the reciprocal interaction between serotonin and social behavior suggest that the environmental context affects the degree to which elevated serotonin levels are beneficial or not (Kiser et al 2012).…”

Mesocorticolimbic dopamine functioning in primary psychopathy: A source of within-group heterogeneity

“…Beginning in childhood, when mesolimbic DA activity and D2-receptor expression are still in their pre-adolescent ranges, the 9R-allele is related to higher levels of externalizing behavior and hostility (Young et al, 2002;Hayden et al, 2013). However, this difference slowly disappears at 9 years old, when transitioning into puberty (Young et al, 2002).…”

Gene‐environment correlations in the cross‐generational transmission of parenting: Grandparenting moderates the effect of child 5‐HTTLPR genotype on mothers' parenting

“…However, children also actively shape their environments, and a burgeoning literature is examining how children’s genes may influence the environment around them via gene-environment correlations (rGE, Hayden et al, 2013; Jaffee & Price, 2007). However, no research of which we are aware has attempted to integrate the cross-generational transmission of parenting with rGEs to better understand the role of parents’ own experiences of early care as well as children’s genes in predicting parenting.…”