scholarly journals Issues concerning feedback about genetic testing and risk of depression

2009 ◽  
Vol 194 (5) ◽  
pp. 404-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kay Wilhelm ◽  
Bettina Meiser ◽  
Philip B. Mitchell ◽  
Adam W. Finch ◽  
Jennifer E. Siegel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Serotonin Transporter ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
Environment Interaction ◽  
Gene Environment Interaction ◽  
Individual Genotype ◽  
Gene Environment ◽  
Serotonin Transporter Genotype ◽  
S Allele ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundRecent studies show that adverse life events have a significantly greater impact on depression onset for those with the s/s allele of the genotype for the 5-HT gene-linked promoter region. Research in genes related to risk of depression leads to the question of how this information is received by individuals.AimsTo investigate factors related to the response to receiving one's own serotonin transporter genotype results.MethodPredictors of the impact of receiving individual genotype data were assessed in 128 participants in a study of gene–environment interaction in depression onset.ResultsTwo-thirds decided to learn their individual genotype results (receivers) and prior to disclosure this decision was associated with a perception of greater benefit from receipt of the information (P=0.001). Receivers completing the 2-week (n=76) and 3-month follow-up (n=78) generally reported feeling pleased with the information and having had a more positive experience than distress. However, distress was related to genotype, with those with the s/s allele being most affected.ConclusionsThere was high interest in, and satisfaction with, learning about one's serotonin transporter genotype. Participants appeared to understand that the gene conferred susceptibility to depression rather than a direct causal effect.

scholarly journals The interaction between serotonin transporter allelic variation and maternal care modulates sociability on Instagram

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Bonassi ◽  
Ilaria Cataldo ◽  
Giulio Gabrieli ◽  
Moses Tandiono ◽  
Jia Nee Foo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Serotonin Transporter ◽  
Social Desirability ◽  
Parental Bonding ◽  
Serotonin Transporter Gene ◽  
Individual Development ◽  
Environment Interaction ◽  
Transporter Gene ◽  
Gene Environment ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Desirability Index

Human social interactions ensure recognition and approval from others, both in offline and online environments. This study applies a model from behavioural genetics on Instagram sociability to explore the impact of individual development on the behaviour on social networks.We hypothesize that sociable attitudes on Instagram resulted from an interaction between serotonin transporter gene alleles and the individual’s social relationship with caregivers. We assess environmental and genetic components of 57 Instagram users. The self-report questionnaire Parental Bonding Instrument is adopted to determine the quality of parental bonding. The number of posts, followed users (“followings”), and followers are collected from Instagram as measures of online social activity. Additionally, the ratio between the number of followers and followings (“Social Desirability Index”) was calculated to estimate the asymmetry of each user’s social network. Finally, buccal mucosa cell samples were acquired, and the polymorphism rs25531 (T/T homozygotes vs C-carriers) within the serotonin transporter gene was examined.In the preliminary analysis, we identified a gender effect on the number of followings. In line with our predictions, we specifically found a gene- environment interaction on the standardized Instagram “Social Desirability Index”: users with the genotype more sensitive to environmental influences (T/T homozygotes) showed a higher Instagram “Social Desirability Index” than non-sensitive ones (C-carriers) when they experienced positive maternal care.This result may contribute to the understanding of online social behaviour from a gene*environment perspective.

Genetic Counselling: Its Need in Psychiatry and the Directions it Gives for Future Research

1984 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 289-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harvey C. Stancer ◽  
Diane K. Wagener
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Counselling ◽  
Social Worker ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Environment Interaction ◽  
Adoption Studies ◽  
Gene Environment Interaction ◽  
Empirical Risk ◽  
Gene Environment ◽  
The Social

The methods for investigating the extent to which genetic factors can influence vulnerability to psychiatric illness are, in increasing order of precision: family, twin, and adoption studies. The evidence from these studies is in support of a gene-environment interaction for schizophrenia and the affective disorders. While the family study method cannot supply precise etiological data, the empirically derived information can be used by the genetic counsellor to provide empirical risk estimates to the counsellee. The psychiatrist, geneticist, and social worker make an appropriate team for reliable genetic counselling. The clinician must determine the precise psychiatric diagnoses in family members which the geneticist may use to estimate risk. The social worker can follow-up the counselling session or sessions to assess the counsellees’ understanding of what has been told to them. It is stressed that while genetic counselling should be available, clinical judgement should be exercised to ensure its appropriate use.

scholarly journals Could Stress Cause Psychosis in Individuals Vulnerable to Schizophrenia?

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl Corcoran ◽  
Lilianne Mujica-Parodi ◽  
Scott Yale ◽  
David Leitman ◽  
Dolores Malaspina
Keyword(s):  
Structural Changes ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Environment Interaction ◽  
Synaptic Remodeling ◽  
Gene Environment Interaction ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Model ◽  
Gene Environment ◽  
Plausible Model ◽  
Neurotoxic Effects ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTIt has long been considered that psychosocial stress plays a role in the expression of symptoms in schizophrenia (SZ), as it interacts with latent neural vulnerability that stems from genetic liability and early environmental insult. Advances in the understanding of the neurobiology of the stress cascade in both animal and human studies lead to a plausible model by which this interaction may occur: through neurotoxic effects on the hippocampus that may involve synaptic remodeling. Of late, the neurodevelopmental model of SZ etiology has been favored. But an elaboration of this schema that credits the impact of postnatal events and considers a role for neurodegenerative changes may be more plausible, given the evidence for gene-environment interaction in SZ expression and progressive structural changes observed with magnetic resonance imaging. Furthermore, new insights into nongliotic neurotoxic effects such as apoptosis, failure of neurogenesis, and changes in circuitry lead to an expansion of the time frame in which environmental effects may mediate expression of SZ symptoms.

scholarly journals Shorter Adult Stature Increases the Impact of Risk Factors for Cognitive Impairment: A Comparison of Two Nordic Twin Cohorts

2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 544-552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Venla S. Laitala ◽  
Jacob Hjelmborg ◽  
Markku Koskenvuo ◽  
Ismo Räihä ◽  
Juha O. Rinne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Genetic Factors ◽  
Childhood Adversity ◽  
Environment Interaction ◽  
Gene Environment Interaction ◽  
Gene Environment ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Adult Stature

We analyzed the association between mean height and old age cognition in two Nordic twin cohorts with different childhood living conditions. The cognitive performance of 4720 twin individuals from Denmark (mean age 81.6 years, SD = 4.59) and Finland (mean age 74.4 years, SD = 5.26) was measured using validated cognitive screens. Taller height was associated with better cognitive performance in Finland (β-estimates 0.18 SD/10cm, p value < .001, for men and 0.13 SD, p = .008, for women), but this association was not significant in Denmark (β-estimates 0.0093 SD, p value = .16, for men and 0.0075 SD, p value = .016, for women) when adjusted for age and education/social class. Among Finnish participants higher variability of cognitive performance within shorter height quintiles was observed. Analysis using gene-environment interaction models showed that environmental factors exerted a greater impact on cognitive performance in shorter participants, whereas in taller participants' it was explained mainly by genetic factors. Our results suggest that shorter participants with childhood adversity are more vulnerable to environmental risk factors for cognitive impairment.

Apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 genotype and a physically active lifestyle in late life: analysis of gene–environment interaction for the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease dementia

2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 1319-1329 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Luck ◽  
S. G. Riedel-Heller ◽  
M. Luppa ◽  
B. Wiese ◽  
M. Köhler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Apolipoprotein E ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Environment Interaction ◽  
Additive Interaction ◽  
Free Survival ◽  
Gene Environment Interaction ◽  
Gene Environment

BackgroundAs physical activity may modify the effect of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele on the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia, we tested for such a gene–environment interaction in a sample of general practice patients aged ⩾75 years.MethodData were derived from follow-up waves I–IV of the longitudinal German study on Ageing, Cognition and Dementia in Primary Care Patients (AgeCoDe). The Kaplan–Meier survival method was used to estimate dementia- and AD-free survival times. Multivariable Cox regression was used to assess individual associations of APOE ε4 and physical activity with risk for dementia and AD, controlling for covariates. We tested for gene–environment interaction by calculating three indices of additive interaction.ResultsAmong the randomly selected sample of 6619 patients, 3327 (50.3%) individuals participated in the study at baseline and 2810 (42.5%) at follow-up I. Of the 2492 patients without dementia included at follow-up I, 278 developed dementia (184 AD) over the subsequent follow-up interval of 4.5 years. The presence of the APOE ε4 allele significantly increased and higher physical activity significantly decreased risk for dementia and AD. The co-presence of APOE ε4 with low physical activity was associated with higher risk for dementia and AD and shorter dementia- and AD-free survival time than the presence of APOE ε4 or low physical activity alone. Indices of interaction indicated no significant interaction between low physical activity and the APOE ε4 allele for general dementia risk, but a possible additive interaction for AD risk.ConclusionsPhysical activity even in late life may be effective in reducing conversion to dementia and AD or in delaying the onset of clinical manifestations. APOE ε4 carriers may particularly benefit from increasing physical activity with regard to their risk for AD.

The Effect of Prenatal Valproate Exposure in Serotonin Transporter Knockout Rats On Anxiety and Cognition: A Gene*Environment Interaction Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Caren L. August
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Serotonin Transporter ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Environment Interaction ◽  
Gene Environment Interaction ◽  
Gene Environment ◽  
Starting Point

<p>Autism Spectrum Disorder is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder which is often associated with increased anxiety and deficits in cognitive ability. The present research investigated a potential gene*environment interaction between two factors previously implicated in ASD in a rat model; prenatal exposure to valproate (VPA) and genetic reduction of the serotonin transporter (SERT). Wildtype and heterozygous SERT knockout rats prenatally exposed to VPA or saline on gestational day12.5 (G12.5) were assessed on measures of anxiety: elevated plus-maze and novelty suppressed-feeding and cognitive ability: prepulse inhibition and latent inhibition. A significant main effect was found for VPA exposure in all paradigms, showing increased anxiety-typical behaviour and abnormal cognitive ability. However, no significant effect of genotype or interaction was observed. Results from the present study do not confirm gene*environment interaction between prenatal VPA and heterozygous SERT knockout but this may be due to several factors that are discussed within the thesis. In any case, this study represents a starting point for further studies investigating other combinations of genetic and environmental factors as models of ASD pathogenesis.</p>

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