© 2001 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Genetic moderation of environmental risk for depression and anxiety in adolescent girls
Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, London, UK
Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
Correspondence: Dr Judy Silberg, Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Human Genetics, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, PO Box 980003, Richmond, VA 23298-0003, USA. E-mail: jsilberg{at}hsc.vcu.edu
Declaration of interest Supported by grants MH-45268 (J.S., L.E.) and MH-55557 (J.S.) from the National Institute of Mental Health, Rockville, Maryland, and the Carman Trust for Scientific Research, Richmond, Virginia, USA.
See editorial, pp.
93–94, this issue.
Background There is huge individual variation in people's response to negative life events.
Aims To test the hypothesis that genetic factors moderate susceptibility to the environmentally mediated risks associated with negative life events.
Method The Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development (VTSABD) was used to study the effects of independent life events (assessed from maternal interview) on depression/anxiety (assessed from child interview) in 184 same-gender female twin pairs, aged 14-17 years, measured on two occasions.
Results There was no genetic effect on the independent negative life events studied. A significant gene—environment interaction was found using structural equation modelling. There was no effect of independent life events on adolescents' depression in the absence of parental emotional disorder, but a significant effect in its presence.
Conclusions There is an environmentally mediated effect of life events on depression/anxiety. Genetic factors play a significant role in individual differences in susceptibility to these environmentally mediated risks.
Related articles in BJP:
- Highlights of this issue
- ELIZABETH WALSH
BJP 2001 179: 0.[Full Text] - Causal processes in development and psychopathology
- RICHARD HARRINGTON
BJP 2001 179: 93-94.[Full Text]
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