Negative affectivity moderated by BDNF and stress response.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatric Genetics
• Neuroscience
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Gene-environment interactions (G×E) are crucial for understanding susceptibility to depression and anxiety.
• Childhood adversity and stressful life events (SLEs) are known environmental risk factors.
• This study investigates the novel interaction between stress response and specific gene polymorphisms in predicting negative affectivity (NA).

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the interaction between stress response across life stages and gene polymorphisms (5-HTTLPR, 5-HTTVNTR, HTR1A C(-1019)G, BDNF Val66Met).
• To predict negative affectivity (NA) in a student population.
• To explore the role of stress response patterns in G×E interactions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized standardized questionnaires (ST-DEP, STAI) to measure NA in 303 undergraduate students.
• Assessed stress response during childhood, high school, and college via self-report.
• Employed multiple logistic regression for association and G×E analyses.

Main Results:

• Negative affectivity strongly correlated with childhood maltreatment and stress response.
• 5-HTTVNTR allele 12 and S_12 haplotype associated with NA from depression and anxiety.
• BDNF Val66Met variant showed comorbidity association; significant G×E interaction with childhood/college stress response.
• HTR1A C(-1019)G variant showed significant G×E interaction with childhood maltreatment.

Conclusions:

• BDNF Val66Met moderates the impact of childhood and college stress, with childhood stress being more critical for Met allele carriers.
• HTR1A C(-1019)G variant moderates the effect of childhood maltreatment.
• Study limitations include small sample size and retrospective recall of SLEs.