The British Journal of Psychiatry (2006) 189: 422-427. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.105.018721
© 2006 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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Changes in genetic and environmental influences on depressive symptoms across adolescence and young adulthood

JENNIFER Y. F. LAU, PhD and THALIA C. ELEY, PhD

Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK

Correspondence: Jennifer Lau, Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health,15K North Drive, Room 211, Bethesda, MD 20892-2670, USA. Email: lauj{at}mail.nih.gov

Declaration of interest None. Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.

Background Depression rises markedly in adolescence, a time when increased and new genetic influences have been reported.

Aims To examine‘new’and‘stable’ genetic and environmental factors on depressive symptoms in adolescence and young adulthood.

Method Aquestionnaire survey investigated a sample of twin and sibling pairs atthree time points over an approximately 3-year period. Over 1800 twin and sibling pairs reported depressive symptoms atthe three time points. Data were analysed using multivariate genetic models.

Results Depressive symptoms at all time points were moderately heritable with substantial non-shared environmental contributions. Wave 1 genetic factors accounted for continuity of symptoms at waves 2 and 3. ‘New’genetic effects at wave 2 also influenced wave 3 symptoms. New non-shared environmental influences emerged at each time point.

Conclusions New genetic and environmental influences may explain age-related increases in depression across development.