Early adversity and 5-HTT/BDNF genes: new evidence of gene–environment interactions on depressive symptoms in a general population
Open accessAbstract
Background Adverse childhood experiences have been described as one of the major environmental risk factors for depressive disorder. Similarly, the deleterious impact of early traumatic experiences on depression seems to be moderated by individual genetic variability. Serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) modulate the effect of childhood adversity on adult depression, although inconsistencies across studies have been found. Moreover, the gene x environment (GxE) interaction concerning the different types of childhood adversity remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to analyse the putative interaction between the 5-HTT gene (5-HTTLPR polymorphism), the BDNF gene (Val66Met polymorphism) and childhood adversity in accounting for adult depressive symptoms. Method A sample of 534 healthy individuals filled in self-report questionnaires of depressive symptomatology [the Symptom Check List 90 Revised (SCL-90-R)] and different types of childhood adversities [the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ)]. The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism (5-HTT gene) and the Val66Met polymorphism (BDNF gene) were genotyped in the whole sample. Results Total childhood adversity (beta=0.27, p Conclusions Childhood adversity per se predicted higher levels of adult depressive symptoms. In addition, BDNF Val66Met and 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms seemed to moderate the effect of CSA on adult depressive symptoms.
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Aguilera et al. (2009) showed a gene-environment interaction effect of the 5-HTTLPR s allele and childhood sexual abuse on depressive symptoms, but also observed rGE in which the l/l genotype was more strongly associated with childhood sexual abuse than the l/s genotype.
“Similarly, Aguilera et al. (2009) showed a GxE effect of the 5-HTTLPR s allele and a history of childhood sexual abuse on depressive symptoms, but also observed rGE, in which the l/l genotype was more strongly associated with childhood sexual abuse than the l/s genotype.”
From Gene–environment interactions: early life stress and risk for depressive and anxiety disorders (2011) · cites this paper as Aguilera et al. (2009)
Aguilera et al. (2009) found that carriers of the Met allele of BDNF Val66Met with reported childhood abuse had greater risk for depressive symptoms than abused participants with the Val/Val genotype.
“Aguilera et al. (2009) found that carriers of the Met allele of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism with reported childhood abuse had greater risk for depressive symptoms than abused participants with the Val/Val genotype.”
From Gene–environment interactions: early life stress and risk for depressive and anxiety disorders (2011) · cites this paper as Aguilera et al. (2009)
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- Authors
- Aguilera, M., Arias, B., Wichers, M., Barrantes-Vidal, N., Moya, J., Villa, H., van Os, J., Ibáñez, M. I., Ruipérez, M. A., Ortet, G., & Fañanás, L.
- Affiliations
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ES)
- Maastricht University (NL)
- Universitat Jaume I (ES)
- Corresponding author
- Fañanás, L.
- Venue
- Psychological Medicine
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2009-02-12
- Volume
- 39
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 1425-1432
- ISSN
- 0033-2917 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-8978
- OpenAlex
- W2154185494
- Cited by
- 265
- References
- 56
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 29 · 2013: 24 · 2012: 24
- FWCI
- 31.04
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Psychological Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (acceptedVersion)
- RECERCAT (Consorci de Serveis Universitaris de Catalunya) (acceptedVersion)
- RECERCAT (Consorci de Serveis Universitaris de Catalunya) (submittedVersion)
- Dipòsit Digital de la Universitat de Barcelona (Universitat de Barcelona) (submittedVersion, public-domain)
- Repositori ObertUDL (University of Lleida) (submittedVersion)
- Repositori UJI (Universitat Jaume I) (submittedVersion, public-domain)
- Funders
- Generalitat de Catalunya
- Universitat de Barcelona
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III
- Departament d'Universitats, Recerca i Societat de la Informació
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Keywords
- childhood adversity, depressive symptoms, gene-environment interaction, 5-HTTLPR polymorphism, BDNF Val66Met polymorphism, serotonin transporter, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, child sexual abuse, childhood emotional abuse, childhood emotional neglect, depression risk
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Alleles, Child, Child Abuse, Depressive Disorder, Epistasis, Genetic, Female, Gene Expression Regulation, Genotype, Humans, Life Change Events, Male, Middle Aged, Polymorphism, Genetic, Social Environment, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
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