Vulnerability genes or plasticity genes?
Open accessAbstract
The classic diathesis-stress framework, which views some individuals as particularly vulnerable to adversity, informs virtually all psychiatric research on behavior-gene-environment (G x E) interaction. An alternative framework of 'differential susceptibility' is proposed, one which regards those most susceptible to adversity because of their genetic make up as simultaneously most likely to benefit from supportive or enriching experiences-or even just the absence of adversity. Recent G x E findings consistent with this perspective and involving monoamine oxidase-A, 5-HTTLPR (5-hydroxytryptamine-linked polymorphic region polymorphism) and dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) are reviewed for illustrative purposes. Results considered suggest that putative 'vulnerability genes' or 'risk alleles' might, at times, be more appropriately conceptualized as 'plasticity genes', because they seem to make individuals more susceptible to environmental influences-for better and for worse.
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Variation in expression of 'plasticity genes' has been argued to underlie the differential susceptibility of individuals to environmental influences.
“Similarly, variation in expression of “plasticity genes” has been argued to underlie the differential susceptibility of individuals to environmental influences [72].”
From Rapid changes in plasma corticosterone and medial amygdala transcriptome profiles during social status change reveal molecular pathways associated with a major life history transition in mouse dominance hierarchies (2025) · cites this paper as [72]
The Introduction argues that genetic differences may make individuals more or less susceptible to environmental influences, and the illustrative-evidence section compares groups defined by alleles. The paper supports the proposed role of ‘plasticity genes,’ but the cited passages concern genotype or allele variation, not variation in gene expression. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredIndividuals carrying specific variants in plasticity genes are more susceptible to environmental factors, regardless of whether those factors are risk-promoting or development-enhancing.
“Individuals carrying speci fi c variants in these genes are more susceptible to environmental factors, regardless of their risk-promoting or development-enhancing nature”
From ADHD, CD, and ODD: Systematic review of genetic and environmental risk factors (2018) · cites this paper as Belsky et al., 2009
The Abstract and Conclusion describe certain gene variants as potentially making individuals more responsive to both adverse and supportive environments. The source presents this as a suggested interpretation of the evidence, however, whereas the claim states it as an established fact. (LLM, conf=0.83)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
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- Authors
- Belsky, J., Jonassaint, C., Pluess, M., Stanton, M., Brummett, B., & Williams, R.
- Affiliations
- Birkbeck, University of London (GB)
- Duke University (US)
- Duke Medical Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Belsky, J
- Venue
- Molecular Psychiatry
- Published
- 2009-05-19
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 746-754
- ISSN
- 1359-4184 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-5578
- PMC
- PMC2834322
- OpenAlex
- W2104281323
- Cited by
- 1,017
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 35 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 44 · 2020: 117 · 2019: 52 · 2018: 52 · 2017: 62 · 2016: 72 · 2015: 96 · 2014: 82 · 2013: 93 · 2012: 90
- FWCI
- 6.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc-nd
- www.springer.com/tdm (unspecified)
- Locations
- Molecular Psychiatry (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- BIROn (Birkbeck, University of London) (submittedVersion)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
- Queen Mary Research Online (Queen Mary University of London) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- National Institute on Aging (R01 AG19605, R01AG019605)
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (P01HL036587)
- National Center for Research Resources (M01RR301)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- diathesis-stress model, differential susceptibility, gene-environment interaction, risk alleles, monoamine oxidase A, 5-HTTLPR, dopamine D4 receptor, adversity
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Physiological, Adaptation, Psychological, Animals, Mental Disorders, Disease Susceptibility, Environment, Humans, Psychological Theory, Stress, Psychological, Genetic Predisposition to Disease
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
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