Differences in Sensitivity to Environment Depending on Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) Gene? A Meta-analysis of Child and Adolescent Gene-by-Environment Studies

Cao, Cong; Cao, Lili; Chen, Jie

doi:10.1007/s10964-019-01004-3

Cited by 9 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 64 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The key concept in this study is that individual differences in Environmental Sensitivity are not defined by any single factor, but by a variety of genes and temperamental/ personality traits . For example, serotonin transporter gene polymorphisms (5-HTTLPR) 1 and serotonin receptor 2A gene (HTR2A) associated with the serotonergic system, and dopamine receptor D2 and D4 (DRD2 and DRD4) and Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) genes associated with the dopaminergic system, have been studied as genetic markers of Environmental Sensitivity (Belsky et al, 2015;Cao, Cao, & Chen, 2019). Recent studies using genome-wide tests suggest that multiple sensitivity genes cumulatively contribute to individual differences in sensitivity and that the effect of a single sensitivity gene is rather small (Keers et al, 2016).…”

Section: Individual Differences In Environmental Sensitivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Highly sensitive adolescents: The relationship between weekly life events and weekly socioemotional well‐being

Iimura

2021

British J of Psychology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Recent research into Person x Environment interaction has supported the view that sensitivity to environmental influences is a susceptibility factor rather than a vulnerability factor. Given this perspective, this study examined the role of the adolescent's sensory-processing sensitivity in the context of weekly life events and weekly socioemotional well-being. In the study, 114 adolescents repeatedly self-reported their sensitivity, recent life events, and recent socioemotional well-being in four surveys at one-week intervals. The results suggested the shape of Sensitivity x Life Events interaction significantly varied from week to week, which is consistent with the vantage sensitivity and diathesis-stress framework. In specific weeks, adolescents with high sensitivity are more likely to benefit from positive events than those with low sensitivity. These sensitive adolescents can be described as developmentally susceptibility rather than vulnerability.

show abstract

Section: Individual Differences In Environmental Sensitivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Highly sensitive adolescents: The relationship between weekly life events and weekly socioemotional well‐being

Iimura

2021

British J of Psychology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, two meta-analyses showed no signi cant association between the COMT Val 158 Met polymorphism and children's behavioral/emotional problems (Weeland et al, 2015;Cao et al, 2019). These inconsistent ndings indicate the need for further research to assess not only this aspect, but also environmental factors that may alter this relationship.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

COMT Val 158 Met polymorphism protects the impact of a mother's history of childhood trauma on emotional and behavioral problems in preschool children

Xavier

Bastos

Marins

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Childhood trauma has a well-established negative impact for mental health outcomes across the lifespan. Accumulating evidence now suggests that offspring's mental health problems can also be a consequence of intergenerational trauma transmission. A child's genetic background emerges as an important target in this outcome. This study aims to investigate the interactive effect of maternal childhood trauma and child COMT Val158Met polymorphism (rs4680) on offspring emotional/behavioral problems from a dyad of a population-based cohort that follow adolescent pregnant women and their children at age 4-5 and 11 years old. The behavior problems of 310 children were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) instrument, and maternal trauma was assessed with the Child Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) between the 20º to 22º gestational weeks. Regarding our results there was no direct association between the Val158Met polymorphism with emotional/behavioral problems in the children (p>0.05). However, we noted that maternal childhood trauma modified the effect of the Val158Met polymorphism on externalizing and total problems susceptibility. Children carrying the Val/Met genotype whose mothers have been exposed to childhood trauma are less likely to develop externalizing (p=0.020) and total problems (p=0.041) when compared with children homozygous (Val/Val and Met/Met). This association was maintained after adjustment for sex, age, and skin color. Thus, our findings reinforce evidence on the intergenerational impact of maternal trauma on emotional/behavioral problems and show that this risk is influenced by the genetic background of the individual, varying according to COMT genotype, which confers a protective character for development of externalizing and total problems.

show abstract

“…Nonetheless, other studies have identified the hyperdopaminergic alleles as a more sensitive factor for negative environmental cues (e.g., [ 27 ]). Findings from a meta-analysis of the COMT gene are also mixed regarding which allele amplifies or weakens the associations between environmental adversities and externalizing problems [ 28 ]. The discrepancy suggests that the results of studies on single candidate genes could be erratic.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining how and why polygenic dopamine composite levels moderate adolescents’ vulnerability to peer victimization

Gao

Xiong

Liu

et al. 2022

Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Extensive literature documents that dopaminergic genes play an important role in the link between adverse environments and adolescents’ problem behavior. However, little is known about the potential mechanism underlying adolescents’ vulnerability to peer victimization. The current study examined the effect of the interplay between a polygenic dopamine composite (i.e., COMT Val158Met and DRD2-141C Ins/Del polymorphisms) and peer victimization on adolescents’ externalizing problems as well as the mediating role of emotion dysregulation in the interactive effects in a sample of 393 Chinese adolescents (Mean age = 14.71 years; 50.1% girls). A significant moderation of dopaminergic genetic composite was observed in girls but not in boys. In addition, emotion dysregulation partially explained the moderating effect of dopaminergic genes. Specifically, girls with genic composite indexing low dopamine activity reported a higher level of emotion dysregulation when faced with more peer victimization. More difficulties with emotion regulation, in turn, predicted more pronounced externalizing problems in girls. This study underscores polygenic underpinnings of adolescent vulnerability to negative peer experiences and suggests the importance of considering sex differences when investigating genic influence on the relationship between adverse environments and externalizing problems.

show abstract

Differences in Sensitivity to Environment Depending on Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) Gene? A Meta-analysis of Child and Adolescent Gene-by-Environment Studies

Cited by 9 publications

References 64 publications

Highly sensitive adolescents: The relationship between weekly life events and weekly socioemotional well‐being

Highly sensitive adolescents: The relationship between weekly life events and weekly socioemotional well‐being

COMT Val 158 Met polymorphism protects the impact of a mother's history of childhood trauma on emotional and behavioral problems in preschool children

Examining how and why polygenic dopamine composite levels moderate adolescents’ vulnerability to peer victimization

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About