Early Family Environment, Current Adversity, the Serotonin Transporter Promoter Polymorphism, and Depressive Symptomatology

Taylor, Shelley E.; Way, Baldwin M.; Welch, William T.; Hilmert, Clayton J.; Lehman, Barbara J.; Eisenberger, Naomi I.

doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.04.019

« Previous Next »Biological Psychiatry
Volume 60, Issue 7 , Pages 671-676, 1 October 2006

Early Family Environment, Current Adversity, the Serotonin Transporter Promoter Polymorphism, and Depressive Symptomatology

Shelley E. Taylor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California
- Address reprint requests to Dr. Shelley E. Taylor, Department of Psychology, University of California, 1282A Franz Hall, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095
Baldwin M. Way
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California
William T. Welch
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California
Clayton J. Hilmert
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California
Barbara J. Lehman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California
Naomi I. Eisenberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, California.

Received 4 January 2006; received in revised form 24 April 2006; accepted 25 April 2006. published online 25 August 2006.

Background

Mixed evidence has suggested that homozygous carriers of the short allele (s/s) of the serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) may be at increased risk for depression, if they have also been exposed to early or current adversity/stress. We address this debate by examining the relation of a stressful early family environment, recent adversity/stress, and the 5-HTTLPR to depressive symptomatology in a normal sample.

Methods

A nonclinical sample of 118 young adult men and women completed assessments of early family environment, recent stressful events, psychosocial resources, and psychological distress, including depressive symptomatology. The 5-HTTLPR was genotyped using a standard protocol with DNA extracted from oral fluid.

Results

A stressful early family environment was significantly related to depressive symptomatology. In addition, gene-by-environment (G×E) interactions were observed between the 5-HTTLPR and both early family environment and current adversity/stress. Individuals homozygous for the short allele had greater depressive symptomatology if they had experienced early or recent adversity but significantly less depressive symptomatology if they reported a supportive early environment or recent positive experiences, compared with participants with the s/l or l/l genotype.