Transition from stress sensitivity to a depressive state: longitudinal twin study
Open accessAbstract
Background: Daily-life stress sensitivity is associated with depression, but prospective data are lacking. Aims: To examine associations between baseline ecological daily-life stress sensitivity and later depression, and to identify genetic and non-genetic factors moderating the transition from stress sensitivity to depression. Method: Daily-life stress sensitivity was assessed at baseline in twins (n= 502). One baseline and four follow-up measurements of depressive symptoms and negative life events were collected, as well as interview-based diagnoses at baseline and last follow-up. Hypothesised genetic markers were determined. Results: Baseline stress sensitivity was associated with increased depressive symptoms at follow-up and risk of major depressive disorder. Both genetic liability and major life events moderated the probability of transition from stress sensitivity to depression. Conclusions: Onset of depression is attributable to pre-onset ecological measurements of stress sensitivity, particularly where genetic liability is high and individuals have reached a stage where the influence of competing environmental causes is low.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The influence of familial depressive illness is at least partly mediated by increased stress reactivity, enhancing the response to mild regular stressors.
“Thus, the influence of familial depressive illness is, in part at least, mediated by increased stress reactivity, enhancing the response of the individual to mild, regular stressors (ie, hassles).”
From Early life adversity and the epigenetic programming of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function (2014) · cites this paper as [37]
Individuals with early adverse experience appear sensitized to the depressive effects of acute stress in adulthood.
“Individuals with early adverse experience appear to be sensitized to the depressive effects of acute stress in adulthood.37,38”
From Early life adversity and the epigenetic programming of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function (2014) · cites this paper as [37]
Individual differences in stress reactivity predict risk for depression.
“Finally, there is considerable evidence in favor of the hypothesis that individual differences in stress reactivity predict the risk for depression.37”
From Early life adversity and the epigenetic programming of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function (2014) · cites this paper as [37]
Childhood adversity moderates the relation between stressful life events in adulthood and depression, with increased risk for depression or anxiety in response to moderately stressful circumstances among individuals with a history of childhood adversity.
“Moreover, childhood adversity moderates the relation between stressful life events in adulthood and depression, with increased risk for depression or anxiety in response to moderately stressful circumstances among individuals with a history of childhood adversity.11,14,37”
From Early life adversity and the epigenetic programming of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function (2014) · cites this paper as [37]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
The Environment and Disease: Association or Causation?
Hill, A. B. (1965) · Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine · doi:10.1177/003591576505800503 · Cited by 6,974 · see citing works
Initial reliability and validity of a new retrospective measure of child abuse and neglect
(1994) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.151.8.1132 · Cited by 3,577 · see citing works
Validity and reliability of the Experience-Sampling Method
CSIKSZENTMIHALYI, M., & LARSON, R. (1987) · The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease · doi:10.1097/00005053-198709000-00004 · Cited by 2,544 · see citing works
The SCL-90 and the MMPI: A Step in the Validation of a New Self-Report Scale
Derogatis, L. R., Rickels, K., & Rock, A. F. (1976) · British Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1192/bjp.128.3.280 · Cited by 2,298 · see citing works
Validity of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire in an Adolescent Psychiatric Population
BERNSTEIN, D. P., AHLUVALIA, T., POGGE, D., & HANDELSMAN, L. (1997) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/00004583-199703000-00012 · Cited by 1,574 · see citing works
Kendler, K. S., Thornton, L. M., & Gardner, C. O. (2000) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.157.8.1243 · Cited by 721 · see citing works
Emotional Reactivity to Daily Life Stress in Psychosis
Myin-Germeys, I., van Os, J., Schwartz, J. E., Stone, A. A., & Delespaul, P. A. (2001) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.58.12.1137 · Cited by 653 · see citing works
Self-citationWichers, M., Schrijvers, D., Geschwind, N., Jacobs, N., Myin-Germeys, I., Thiery, E., Derom, C., Sabbe, B., Peeters, F., Delespaul, P., et al. (2009) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291708004388 · Cited by 131 · see citing works
Self-citation
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 25
- Kaufman J, Yang BZ, Douglas-Palumberi H, Grasso D, Lipschitz D, Houshyar S, et al. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor-5-HTTLPR gene interactions and environmental modifiers of depression in children. Biol Psychiatry 2006; 59: 673-80.
- Bergstrom A, Jayatissa MN, Mørk A, Wiborg O. Stress sensitivity and resilience in the chronic mild stress rat model of depression; an in situ hybridization study. Brain Res 2008; 1196: 41-52.
- Caspi A, Sugden K, Moffitt TE, Taylor A, Craig IW, Harrington H, et al. Influence of life stress on depression: moderation by a polymorphism in the 5-HTT gene. Science 2003; 301: 386-9.
- Hayden EP, Dougherty LR, Maloney B, Olino TM, Sheikh H, Durbin CE, et al. Early-emerging cognitive vulnerability to depression and the serotonin transporter promoter region polymorphism. J Affect Disord 2008; 107: 227-30.
- Loos R, Derom C, Vlietinck R, Derom R. The East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey (Belgium): a population-based register. Twin Res 1998; 1: 167-75.
- Derom C, Vlietinck R, Thiery E, Leroy F, Fryns JP, Derom R. The East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey (EFPTS). Twin Res 2002; 5: 337-41.
- Jacobs N, Kenis G, Peeters F, Derom C, Vlietinck R, van Os J. Stress-related negative affectivity and genetically altered serotonin transporter function: evidence of synergism in shaping risk of depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2006; 63: 989-96.
- Kendler KS, Thornton LM, Prescott CA. Gender differences in the rates of exposure to stressful life events and sensitivity to their depressogenic effects. Am J Psychiatry 2001; 158: 587-93.
- Fanous A, Gardner CO, Prescott CA, Cancro R, Kendler KS. Neuroticism, major depression and gender: a population-based twin study. Psychol Med 2002; 32: 719-28.
- deVries M, Delespaul P, Dijkman-Caes C. Consequences of depression for the experience of anxiety in daily life. In The Experience of Psychopathology: Investigating Mental Disorders in Their Natural Settings (ed M deVries): 141-7. Cambridge University Press, 1992.
- Delespaul P. Assessing Schizophrenia in Daily Life: The Experience Sampling Method. University of Limburg Press, 1995.
- Jacobs N, Nicolson NA, Derom C, Delespaul P, van Os J, Myin-Germeys I. Electronic monitoring of salivary cortisol sampling compliance in daily life. Life Sci 2005; 76: 2431-43.
- Wichers M, Myin-Germeys I, Jacobs N, Peeters F, Kenis G, Derom C, et al. Genetic risk of depression and stress-induced negative affect in daily life. Br J Psychiatry 2007; 191: 218-23.
- Paykel ES. The Interview for Recent Life Events. Psychol Med 1997; 27: 301-10.
- Kendler KS, Gardner CO. Boundaries of major depression: an evaluation of DSM-IV criteria. Am J Psychiatry 1998; 155: 172-7.
- Verhagen M, van der Meij A, van Deurzen PA, Janzing JG, Arias-Va ´squez A, Buitelaar JK, et al. Meta-analysis of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism in major depressive disorder: effects of gender and ethnicity. Mol Psychiatry 2008; doi: 10.1038/mp2008.109. · DOI
- Sen S, Duman R, Sanacora G. Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor, depression, and antidepressant medications: meta-analyses and implications. Biol Psychiatry 2008; 64: 527-32.
- Brunoni AR, Lopes M, Fregni F. A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies on major depression and BDNF levels: implications for the role of neuroplasticity in depression. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2008; 11: 1169-80.
- Aguilera M, Arias B, Wichers M, Barrantes-Vidal N, Moya J, Villa H, et al. Early adversity and 5-HTT/BDNF genes: new evidence of gene-environment interactions on depressive symptoms in a general population. Psychol Med 2009; 39: 1425-32.
- Gatt JM, Nemeroff CB, Dobson-Stone C, Paul RH, Bryant RA, Schofield PR, et al. Interactions between BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and early life stress predict brain and arousal pathways to syndromal depression and anxiety. Mol Psychiatry 2009; 14: 681-95.
- Laucht M, Treutlein J, Blomeyer D, Buchmann AF, Schmid B, Becker K, et al. Interaction between the 5-HTTLPR serotonin transporter polymorphism and environmental adversity for mood and anxiety psychopathology: evidence from a high-risk community sample of young adults. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2009; 12: 737-47.
- Bouma EM, Ormel J, Verhulst FC, Oldehinkel AJ. Stressful life events and depressive problems in early adolescent boys and girls: the influence of parental depression, temperament and family environment. J Affect Disord 2008; 105: 185-93.
- Comijs HC, Beekman AT, Smit F, Bremmer M, van Tilburg T, Deeg DJ. Childhood adversity, recent life events and depression in late life. J Affect Disord 2007; 103: 243-6.
- Monroe SM, Harkness KL. Life stress, the 'kindling' hypothesis, and the recurrence of depression: considerations from a life stress perspective. Psychol Rev 2005; 112: 417-45.
- Eaves L, Silberg J, Erkanli A. Resolving multiple epigenetic pathways to adolescent depression. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2003; 44: 1006-14.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Turecki, G., & Meaney, M. J. (2016) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.11.022 · Cited by 796 · see citing works
Experience sampling methodology in mental health research: new insights and technical developments.
Myin‐Germeys, I., Kasanova, Z., Vaessen, T., Vachon, H., Kirtley, O., Viechtbauer, W., & Reininghaus, U. (2018) · World Psychiatry · doi:10.1002/wps.20513 · Cited by 709 · see citing works
The wear-and-tear of daily stressors on mental health
Charles, S. T., Piazza, J. R., Mogle, J., Sliwinski, M. J., & Almeida, D. M. (2013) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/0956797612462222 · Cited by 459 · see citing works
“, 2011) and 1 year later (Wichers et al., 2009) among people in age groups where rates of affective disorders are highest (Piazza & Charles, 2006).”
BackgroundInfluentialEmotional reactivity to daily events in major and minor depression.
Bylsma, L. M., Taylor-Clift, A., & Rottenberg, J. (2011) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0021662 · Cited by 388 · see citing works
Prenatal maternal depression alters amygdala functional connectivity in 6-month-old infants
Qiu, A., Anh, T. T., Li, Y., Chen, H., Rifkin-Graboi, A., Broekman, B. F. P., Kwek, K., Saw, S.-M., Chong, Y.-S., Gluckman, P. D., et al. (2015) · Translational Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/tp.2015.3 · Cited by 282 · see citing works
Prenatal maternal depression associates with microstructure of right amygdala in neonates at birth.
Rifkin-Graboi, A., Bai, J., Chen, H., Hameed, W. B., Sim, L. W., Tint, M. T., Leutscher-Broekman, B., Chong, Y.-S., Gluckman, P. D., Fortier, M. V., et al. (2013) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2013.06.019 · Cited by 258 · see citing works
Early life adversity and the epigenetic programming of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function
Anacker, C., O'Donnell, K. J., & Meaney, M. J. (2014) · Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience · doi:10.31887/dcns.2014.16.3/canacker · Cited by 237 · see citing works
Ruscio, A. M., Gentes, E. L., Jones, J. D., Hallion, L. S., Coleman, E. S., & Swendsen, J. (2015) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037/abn0000025 · Cited by 228 · see citing works
Early-life adversity and brain development: Is the microbiome a missing piece of the puzzle?
O’Mahony, S. M., Clarke, G., Dinan, T. G., & Cryan, J. F. (2017) · Neuroscience · doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.09.068 · Cited by 203 · see citing works
Wichers, M., Peeters, F., Geschwind, N., Jacobs, N., Simons, C. J. P., Derom, C., Thiery, E., Delespaul, P. H., & van Os, J. (2010) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2009.11.010 · Cited by 189 · see citing works
Self-citationSeabrook, E. M., Kern, M. L., Fulcher, B. D., & Rickard, N. S. (2018) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/jmir.9267 · Cited by 144 · see citing works
Kramer, I., Simons, C. J. P., Wigman, J. T. W., Collip, D., Jacobs, N., Derom, C., Thiery, E., van Os, J., Myin-Germeys, I., & Wichers, M. (2014) · Schizophrenia Bulletin · doi:10.1093/schbul/sbs194 · Cited by 151 · see citing works
Parrish, B. P., Cohen, L. H., & Laurenceau, J.-P. (2011) · Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1521/jscp.2011.30.3.270 · Cited by 110 · see citing works
Wichers, M., Lothmann, C., Simons, C. J. P., Nicolson, N. A., & Peeters, F. (2012) · British Journal of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1111/j.2044-8260.2011.02021.x · Cited by 89 · see citing works
Self-citationKarg, K., Burmeister, M., Shedden, K., & Sen, S. (2011) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.189 · Cited by 87 · see citing works
Peeters, F., Berkhof, J., Rottenberg, J., & Nicolson, N. A. (2010) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2010.04.008 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Elevated daytime cortisol levels: a biomarker of subsequent major affective disorder?
Ellenbogen, M. A., Hodgins, S., Linnen, A.-M., & Ostiguy, C. S. (2011) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2011.01.007 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
Ostiguy, C. S., Ellenbogen, M. A., Walker, C.-D., Walker, E. F., & Hodgins, S. (2011) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291711000523 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
Reininghaus, U., Paetzold, I., Rauschenberg, C., Hirjak, D., Banaschewski, T., Meyer-Lindenberg, A., Boehnke, J. R., Boecking, B., & Schick, A. (2023) · Schizophrenia Bulletin · doi:10.1093/schbul/sbac212 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
van Winkel, M., Peeters, F., van Winkel, R., Kenis, G., Collip, D., Geschwind, N., Jacobs, N., Derom, C., Thiery, E., van Os, J., et al. (2014) · European Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2014.02.005 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
Self-citationBaik, S. Y., & Newman, M. G. (2023) · Journal of Anxiety Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2023.102679 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Emotions in everyday life during social movements: Prospective predictions of mental health.
Hou, W. K., & Bonanno, G. A. (2018) · Journal of Counseling Psychology · doi:10.1037/cou0000236 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Keyes, K. M., Shmulewitz, D., Greenstein, E., McLaughlin, K., Wall, M., Aharonovich, E., Weizman, A., Frisch, A., Spivak, B., Grant, B. F., et al. (2014) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.10.014 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Flores-Ramos, M., Alcauter, S., López-Titla, M., Bernal-Santamaría, N., Calva-Coraza, E., & Edden, R. A. E. (2019) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2018.08.033 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Sonuga-Barke, E., Stoilova, M., Kostyrka-Allchorne, K., Bourgaize, J., Murray, A., Tan, M., Hollis, C., Townsend, E., & Livingstone, S. (2024) · Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.cobeha.2024.101411 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
“On balance, longitudinal studies provide more support for a prospective link between general negative emotional reactivity and depression [44,48], but see Ref.”
A Primer on Two-Level Dynamic Structural Equation Models for Intensive Longitudinal Data
McNeish, D. (2018) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/j56bm · Cited by 12 · see citing works
- Authors
- Wichers, M., Geschwind, N., Jacobs, N., Kenis, G., Peeters, F., Derom, C., Thiery, E., Delespaul, P., & van Os, J.
- Affiliations
- Maastricht University (NL)
- KU Leuven (BE)
- Corresponding author
- Wichers, Marieke
- Venue
- British Journal of Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
- Published
- 2009-12
- Volume
- 195
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 498-503
- ISSN
- 0007-1250 (ISSN-L)
- 1472-1465
- OpenAlex
- W2130485951
- Cited by
- 151
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 10.56
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- The British Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Lirias (KU Leuven) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (916.76.147)
- Vlaamse regering
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Mental Health Research Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
- Keywords
- depression, major depressive disorder, genetic susceptibility, negative life events, moderators, depression onset, ecological stress, twin studies
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Depressive Disorder, Diseases in Twins, Female, Genotype, Humans, Life Change Events, Longitudinal Studies, Middle Aged, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Risk Factors, Social Environment, Stress, Psychological, Disease Progression, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Young Adult
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.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
