Poster #155 CHILD MALTREATMENT, COMT VARIABILITY AND ADULT COGNITION: GENE-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION USING A TWIN STUDY

Abstract Genetic factors influence entrepreneurial activity, but we know little about how genetic factors influence entrepreneurial activity when the institutional environment is favorable. Two theories from behavioral genetics explain the gene–environment interaction. One theory argues that a favorable environment favors the development of genetic factors and their influence. An alternative theory posits that unfavorable environment triggers the development of genetic factors and their influence. I test these two competing theories with a twin study based in Italy. I compare the influence of genetic factors in provinces where the institutional environment favors entrepreneurial activity with provinces where the institutional environment is unfavorable to entrepreneurial activity. I found consistent evidence that genetic factors exert a larger influence in favorable institutional environments, suggesting that favorable institutional environments complement genetic factors.

Gene–environment interaction on cognition: A twin study of childhood maltreatment and COMT variability

Journal of Psychiatric Research ◽

10.1016/j.jpsychires.2013.02.002 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 47 (7) ◽

pp. 989-994 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Ximena Goldberg ◽

Mar Fatjó-Vilas ◽

Silvia Alemany ◽

Igor Nenadic ◽

Cristobal Gastó ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Childhood Maltreatment ◽

Twin Study ◽

Environment Interaction ◽

Gene-environment interaction in atopic diseases: a population-based twin study of early-life exposures

The Clinical Respiratory Journal ◽

10.1111/crj.12110 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 79-86 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Niklas Kahr ◽

Vibeke Naeser ◽

Lone Graff Stensballe ◽

Kirsten Ohm Kyvik ◽

Axel Skytthe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Twin Study ◽

Early Life ◽

Population Based ◽

Environment Interaction ◽

Atopic Diseases ◽

Gene Environment ◽

Early Life Exposures

A twin study of gene-environment interaction in generalized anxiety disorder

Psychiatric Genetics ◽

10.1097/00041444-199623000-00057 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 155

Author(s):

F. A. OʼNeill ◽

K. S. Kendler

Keyword(s):

Anxiety Disorder ◽

Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽

Twin Study ◽

Generalized Anxiety ◽

Environment Interaction ◽

Gene × Environment interaction and resilience: Effects of child maltreatment and serotonin, corticotropin releasing hormone, dopamine, and oxytocin genes

Development and Psychopathology ◽

10.1017/s0954579412000077 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 411-427 ◽

Cited By ~ 125

Author(s):

Dante Cicchetti ◽

Fred A. Rogosch

Keyword(s):

Child Maltreatment ◽

Low Income ◽

Adaptive Functioning ◽

Relative Advantage ◽

Environment Interaction ◽

Corticotropin Releasing Hormone ◽

Releasing Hormone ◽

Maltreated Children ◽

AbstractIn this investigation, gene–environment interaction effects in predicting resilience in adaptive functioning among maltreated and nonmaltreated low-income children (N= 595) were examined. A multicomponent index of resilient functioning was derived and levels of resilient functioning were identified. Variants in four genes (serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region, corticotropin releasing hormone receptor 1, dopamine receptor D4–521C/T, and oxytocin receptor) were investigated. In a series of analyses of covariance, child maltreatment demonstrated a strong negative main effect on children's resilient functioning, whereas no main effects for any of the genotypes of the respective genes were found. However, gene–environment interactions involving genotypes of each of the respective genes and maltreatment status were obtained. For each respective gene, among children with a specific genotype, the relative advantage in resilient functioning of nonmaltreated compared to maltreated children was stronger than was the case for nonmaltreated and maltreated children with other genotypes of the respective gene. Across the four genes, a composite of the genotypes that more strongly differentiated resilient functioning between nonmaltreated and maltreated children provided further evidence of genetic variations influencing resilient functioning in nonmaltreated children, whereas genetic variation had a negligible effect on promoting resilience among maltreated children. Additional effects were observed for children based on the number of subtypes of maltreatment children experienced, as well as for abuse and neglect subgroups. Finally, maltreated and nonmaltreated children with high levels of resilience differed in their average number of differentiating genotypes. These results suggest that differential resilient outcomes are based on the interaction between genes and developmental experiences.