Genes, Childhood Trauma, and Late Life Depressive Symptoms

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (8) ◽  
pp. 1503-1524 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aniruddha Das
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Physical Abuse ◽  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Growth Models ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Genetic Effects ◽  
Multinomial Logit Models ◽  
Retrospective Reports ◽  
Gene Environment ◽  
Trauma Responses

Objectives: Findings on gene-environment correlations suggest childhood “environments” may reflect genetic liabilities. The independent psychosocial influence of childhood trauma is unclear. This study examined such effects on adulthood depressive symptoms. Methods: Data were from the Health and Retirement Study. Trauma items included childhood physical abuse and parental substance abuse. Multinomial logit models examined genetic effects on stable and unstable reports. Linear growth models tested associations of stable trauma responses, genes, and their interaction with current depressive symptoms. Results: Genetic risk predicted both stable and unstable trauma reports. With genes controlled, stable responses were associated with life course variations but not late life change in depression. The exception was women’s physical abuse, which moderated genetic effects but had no independent influence. Discussion: Apparent gene-trauma correlations may be driven by flawed retrospective reports. Research is needed to distinguish true from artifactual genetic effects on other environmental factors and establish psychosocial implications.

scholarly journals Transpersonal Genetic Effects Among Older U.S. Couples: A Longitudinal Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 184-194
Author(s):  
Aniruddha Das
Keyword(s):  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Growth Models ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Genetic Effects ◽  
Genetic Associations ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Genetics Research ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The Life Course

Abstract Background Emerging social genetics research suggests one’s genes may influence not just one’s own outcomes but also those of close social alters. Health implications, particularly in late life, remain underexplored. Using combined genetic and survey data, this study examined such transpersonal genetic associations among older U.S. couples. Method Data were from married or cohabiting couples in the 2006–2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, nationally representative of U.S. adults over 50. Measures included a polygenic score for educational attainment, and self-rated health. Analysis was through parallel process latent growth models. Results Women’s and men’s genetic scores for education had transpersonal linkages with their partner’s health. Such associations were solely with life-course variations and not late-life change in outcomes. Moreover, they were indirect, mediated by educational attainment itself. Evidence also emerged for individual-level genetic effects mediated by the partner’s education. Discussion In addition to the subject-specific linkages emphasized in extant genetics literature, relational contexts involve multiple transpersonal genetic associations. These appear to have consequences for a partner’s and one’s own health. Life-course theory indicates that a person is never not embedded in such contexts, suggesting that these patterns may be widespread. Research is needed on their implications for the life-course and gene–environment correlation literature.

scholarly journals The Association Between Midlife Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms in Late Life: Age Gene/Environment Susceptibility—Reykjavik Study

2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 502-507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milan Chang ◽  
Jon Snaedal ◽  
Bjorn Einarsson ◽  
Sigurbjorn Bjornsson ◽  
Jane S. Saczynski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Gene Environment

scholarly journals The role of gene–environment correlations and interactions in middle childhood depressive symptoms

2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul O. Wilkinson ◽  
Maciej Trzaskowski ◽  
Claire M. A. Haworth ◽  
Thalia C. Eley
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Parenting Style ◽  
Family Environment ◽  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Genetic Effects ◽  
Environment Interaction ◽  
Nonshared Environment ◽  
Family Chaos ◽  
Gene Environment

AbstractDepression is known to be associated with a wide array of environmental factors. Such associations are due at least in part to genetic influences on both. This issue has been little explored with preadolescent children. Measures of family chaos and parenting style at age 9 and child depressive symptoms at age 12 were completed by 3,258 twin pairs from the Twins Early Development Study and their parents. Quantitative genetic modeling was used to explore common and unique genetic and environmental influences on both family environment and later depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms at age 12 were significantly heritable. Moderate genetic effects influenced parenting style and family chaos at the age of 9, indicating gene–environment correlation. There were significant genetic correlations between family environment and depressive symptoms. There was some evidence of a Gene × Environment interaction, with stronger genetic effects on depressive symptoms for children with more suboptimal family environment. There was an Environment × Environment interaction, with effects of nonshared environment on depressive symptoms stronger for twins with more adverse parenting experiences. There is some evidence for gene–environment correlation between aspects of family environment in middle childhood and subsequent depressive symptoms. This suggests that one of the mechanisms by which genes lead to depressive symptoms may be by themselves influencing depressogenic environments.

scholarly journals Evaluating the genetic effects of sex hormone traits on the development of mental traits: a polygenic score analysis and gene-environment-wide interaction study in UK Biobank cohort

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Liang ◽  
ShiQiang Cheng ◽  
Jing Ye ◽  
XiaoMeng Chu ◽  
Yan Wen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Fluid Intelligence ◽  
Genetic Effects ◽  
Sex Hormone ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Interaction Study ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Bioavailable Testosterone ◽  
Gene Environment ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

Abstract Objective To evaluate the genetic effects of sex hormone traits on the development of mental traits in middle-aged adults. Methods The SNPs associated with sex hormone traits were derived from a two-stage genome-wide association study (GWAS). Four sex hormone traits were selected in the current study, including sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), testosterone, bioavailable testosterone and estradiol. The polygenic risk score (PRS) of sex hormone traits were calculated from individual-level genotype data of the United Kingdom (UK) Biobank cohort. We then used logistic and linear regression models to assess the associations between individual PRS of sex hormone traits and the frequency of alcohol consumption, anxiety, intelligence and so on. Finally, gene-environment-wide interaction study (GEWIS) was performed to detect novel candidate genes interacting with the sex hormone traits on the development of fluid intelligence and the frequency of smoking and alcohol consumption by PLINK2.0. Results We observed positive association between SHBG and the frequency of alcohol consumption (b = 0.0101, p = 3.84 × 10–11) in middle-aged males and females. In addition, estradiol was positively associated with the frequency of alcohol consumption (b = 0.0128, p = 1.96 × 10–8) in middle-aged males. Moreover, bioavailable testosterone was associated with the fluid intelligence (b = − 0.0136, p = 5.74 × 10–5) in middle-aged females. Finally, GEWIS identified one significant loci, Tenascin R (TNR) (rs34633780, p = 3.45 × 10–8) interacting with total testosterone for fluid intelligence. Conclusion Our study results support the genetic effects of sex hormone traits on the development of intelligence and the frequency of alcohol consumption in middle-aged adults in UK.

scholarly journals Health and social care service utilisation and associated expenditure among community-dwelling older adults with depressive symptoms

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiyu Lu ◽  
Tianyin Liu ◽  
Gloria H. Y. Wong ◽  
Dara K. Y. Leung ◽  
Lesley C. Y. Sze ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Symptom Severity ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Service Utilisation ◽  
Late Life Depression ◽  
Social Care Service ◽  
Health And Social Care

Abstract Aims Late-life depression has substantial impacts on individuals, families and society. Knowledge gaps remain in estimating the economic impacts associated with late-life depression by symptom severity, which has implications for resource prioritisation and research design (such as in modelling). This study examined the incremental health and social care expenditure of depressive symptoms by severity. Methods We analysed data collected from 2707 older adults aged 60 years and over in Hong Kong. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Client Service Receipt Inventory were used, respectively, to measure depressive symptoms and service utilisation as a basis for calculating care expenditure. Two-part models were used to estimate the incremental expenditure associated with symptom severity over 1 year. Results The average PHQ-9 score was 6.3 (standard deviation, s.d. = 4.0). The percentages of respondents with mild, moderate and moderately severe symptoms and non-depressed were 51.8%, 13.5%, 3.7% and 31.0%, respectively. Overall, the moderately severe group generated the largest average incremental expenditure (US$5886; 95% CI 1126–10 647 or a 272% increase), followed by the mild group (US$3849; 95% CI 2520–5177 or a 176% increase) and the moderate group (US$1843; 95% CI 854–2831, or 85% increase). Non-psychiatric healthcare was the main cost component in a mild symptom group, after controlling for other chronic conditions and covariates. The average incremental association between PHQ-9 score and overall care expenditure peaked at PHQ-9 score of 4 (US$691; 95% CI 444–939), then gradually fell to negative between scores of 12 (US$ - 35; 95% CI - 530 to 460) and 19 (US$ -171; 95% CI - 417 to 76) and soared to positive and rebounded at the score of 23 (US$601; 95% CI -1652 to 2854). Conclusions The association between depressive symptoms and care expenditure is stronger among older adults with mild and moderately severe symptoms. Older adults with the same symptom severity have different care utilisation and expenditure patterns. Non-psychiatric healthcare is the major cost element. These findings inform ways to optimise policy efforts to improve the financial sustainability of health and long-term care systems, including the involvement of primary care physicians and other geriatric healthcare providers in preventing and treating depression among older adults and related budgeting and accounting issues across services.

The non-specific nature of mental health and structural brain outcomes following childhood trauma

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Theresa K. Haidl ◽  
Dennis M. Hedderich ◽  
Marlene Rosen ◽  
Nathalie Kaiser ◽  
Mauro Seves ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Brain Structure ◽  
Mental Health Disorders ◽  
Recent Onset ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Health Disorders ◽  
Structural Brain

Abstract Background Childhood trauma (CT) is associated with an increased risk of mental health disorders; however, it is unknown whether this represents a diagnosis-specific risk factor for specific psychopathology mediated by structural brain changes. Our aim was to explore whether (i) a predictive CT pattern for transdiagnostic psychopathology exists, and whether (ii) CT can differentiate between distinct diagnosis-dependent psychopathology. Furthermore, we aimed to identify the association between CT, psychopathology and brain structure. Methods We used multivariate pattern analysis in data from 643 participants of the Personalised Prognostic Tools for Early Psychosis Management study (PRONIA), including healthy controls (HC), recent onset psychosis (ROP), recent onset depression (ROD), and patients clinically at high-risk for psychosis (CHR). Participants completed structured interviews and self-report measures including the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, SCID diagnostic interview, BDI-II, PANSS, Schizophrenia Proneness Instrument, Structured Interview for Prodromal Symptoms and structural MRI, analyzed by voxel-based morphometry. Results (i) Patients and HC could be distinguished by their CT pattern with a reasonable precision [balanced accuracy of 71.2% (sensitivity = 72.1%, specificity = 70.4%, p ≤ 0.001]. (ii) Subdomains ‘emotional neglect’ and ‘emotional abuse’ were most predictive for CHR and ROP, while in ROD ‘physical abuse’ and ‘sexual abuse’ were most important. The CT pattern was significantly associated with the severity of depressive symptoms in ROD, ROP, and CHR, as well as with the PANSS total and negative domain scores in the CHR patients. No associations between group-separating CT patterns and brain structure were found. Conclusions These results indicate that CT poses a transdiagnostic risk factor for mental health disorders, possibly related to depressive symptoms. While differences in the quality of CT exposure exist, diagnostic differentiation was not possible suggesting a multi-factorial pathogenesis.

scholarly journals Depressive Symptoms and Cognitive Decline in Late Life

2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Ganguli ◽  
Yangchun Du ◽  
Hiroko H. Dodge ◽  
Graham G. Ratcliff ◽  
Chung-Chou H. Chang
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Late Life
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