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Transition from stress sensitivity to a depressive state: longitudinal twin study
Marieke Wichers1, Nicole Geschwind, Nele Jacobs
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, South Limburg Mental Health Research and Teaching Network, EURON, Vijverdalseweg 1, Concorde Building, Maastricht, The Netherlands. m.wichers@sp.unimaas.nl
The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science
|December 2, 2009
Summary
Daily-life stress sensitivity predicts future depression. Genetic liability and major life events influence this transition, especially when environmental factors are less influential.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Genetics
- Psychology
Background:
- Daily-life stress sensitivity is linked to depression.
- Prospective data on this association are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- Examine associations between baseline stress sensitivity and later depression.
- Identify genetic and non-genetic moderators of the stress sensitivity to depression transition.
Main Methods:
- Assessed daily-life stress sensitivity in 502 twin individuals at baseline.
- Collected longitudinal data on depressive symptoms, negative life events, and diagnoses.
- Determined hypothesized genetic markers.
Main Results:
- Baseline stress sensitivity predicted increased depressive symptoms and risk of major depressive disorder.
- Genetic liability and major life events moderated the transition from stress sensitivity to depression.
Conclusions:
- Depression onset can be linked to pre-onset stress sensitivity.
- High genetic liability and reduced environmental influence amplify this risk.
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