Impact of the Interaction Between the 5HTTLPR Polymorphism and Maltreatment on Adolescent Depression. A Population-Based Study

Abstract

Serotonin plays a central role in mood regulation and the development of depressive disorders. The present study investigated whether a functional polymorphism (5HTTLPR) of the serotonin transporter gene interacts with maltreatment in the prediction of depression. A cohort of 17-18 years old students (n = 1,482) anonymously completed the Survey of Adolescent Life and Health in Vestmanland 2006 and gave a saliva sample for DNA extraction. An association between maltreatment and adolescent depression was found independent of sex. When the whole population was analyzed, no main effect of 5HTTLPR in association with depression was found. When separated by sex, a significant main effect and a G x E interaction effect of the SS allele was found among girls. No gene main effect or G x E interaction effect was found among boys. The present study confirms previous findings of sex differences in interaction effects between the 5HTTLPR polymorphism and maltreatment in the prediction of adolescent depression.

Interleukin 1B gene (IL1B) variation and internalizing symptoms in maltreated preschoolers

“…Consistent with adult studies (Caspi et al, 2003), Kaufman et al reported a significant association of 5-HTTLPR genotype with increased depressive symptoms in maltreated children compared to maltreated children with other genotypes or non-maltreated children with the same genotype (Kaufman et al, 2004). This result has been replicated in other studies in youth and appears potentiated by factors such as low social supports (Aslund et al, 2009; Banny, Cicchetti, Rogosch, Oshri, & Crick, 2013; Kaufman et al, 2004). Other studies have demonstrated G×E interactions in the development of internalizing disorders involving genetic variants in the serotonergic, dopaminergic, noradrenergic, glutamatergic and GABAergic systems, other monoamine enzymes, cannabinoids, neuroendocrine, pro-survival factors and inflammatory mediators (for review of mechanisms see: (Mandelli & Serretti, 2013; Nugent et al, 2011).…”

Life Course Perspectives on the Epidemiology of Depression

“…Since the publication of this study, 79 numerous studies have attempted to replicate these results, and many have successfully found that the s/s genotype, when in combination with adverse life events, increased the risk of depression. [80][81][82][83] However, muddying these waters is a recent meta-analysis by Risch et al 84 that replicated the original methods of the Caspi et al 79 study. They combined data from 14 studies and found no evidence that stressful life events interact with the 5HTTLPR gene to increase risk of depression.…”

Childhood Maltreatment and County-Level Deprivation Jointly Modify the Effect of Serotonin Transporter Promoter Genotype on Depressive Symptoms in Adolescent Girls

“…(Åslund et al, 2009;Sesar et al, 2011)) while others fail to find such an association (Brown et al, 1999;Cicchetti, et al, 2007). However, when interaction between genetic variation at the 5-HTTLR locus and childhood maltreatment is assessed, specific genotypes are implicated in increased risk of depression , particularly among adolescent females (Åslund et al, 2009;Cicchetti et al, 2007), in the subset of individuals who have experience maltreatment. This heterogeneity of effect by genotype suggests that the impact of child maltreatment on adolescent depression is particularly acute among carriers of the ss genotype.…”