Functional gradient alteration in individuals with cognitive vulnerability to depression

AbstractNegative affect or stress is often found to increase energy intake for high palatable energy-rich foods and hence weight gain. Reduced brain serotonin (5-HT) function is known to increase stress vulnerability and the risk for eating-related disturbances. A short (S) allele polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) is associated with a less efficient functioning brain serotonin system and therefore higher stress vulnerability. It has been suggested that this genotype may be directly linked to an increased risk for weight gain and/or obesity. However, a high amount of variability has been apparent in replicating such a direct gene on weight gain relationship. A most recent suggestion is that this gene by weight relationship might be moderated by an additional (cognitive) vulnerability factor involving repetitive negative thinking (rumination). Our objective was to investigate whether the S-allele of 5-HTTLPR contributes to weight gain particularly in high cognitive ruminating individuals. A total of 827 healthy young male and female college students (aged 21·3 (sd 3·0) years; BMI 16–41·7 kg/m2) were genotyped for the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and assessed for rumination (Event Related Ruminative Index) and body weight. In line with the hypothesis, a hierarchical regression model showed that higher BMI scores were observed in specifically high ruminating S'-carriers (P=0·031, f²=0·022). These results suggest that cognitive rumination may be a critical moderator of the association between 5-HTTLPR and body mass.

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Childhood Emotional Maltreatment, Cognitive Vulnerability to Depression, and Self-Referent Information Processing in Adulthood: Reciprocal Relations

Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy ◽

10.1891/jcop.17.4.347.52541 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 17 (4) ◽

pp. 347-358 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Jennifer A. Steinberg ◽

Brandon E. Gibb ◽

Lauren B. Alloy ◽

Lyn Y. Abramson

Keyword(s):

Information Processing ◽

Cognitive Vulnerability ◽

Reciprocal Relations ◽

Emotional Maltreatment ◽

Current Information ◽

Information Processing Biases ◽

Cognitive Risk ◽

Alternate Model ◽

The Relationship ◽

Risk For Depression

Previous work has established a relationship between reports of childhood emotional maltreatment and cognitive vulnerability to depression, as well as an association between cognitive vulnerability and self-referent information-processing biases. Findings from this study of individuals at low (LR) and high (HR) cognitive risk for depression revealed a relationship between reports of childhood emotional maltreatment and current information processing biases. Specifically, individuals with greater childhood emotional maltreatment exhibited more negative self-referent information processing. Moreover, cognitive risk mediated the relationship between childhood emotional maltreatment and these information-processing biases. Testing an alternate model, information-processing biases also mediated the relationship between childhood emotional maltreatment and cognitive risk.

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