scholarly journals Stressful life events increase the risk of major depressive episodes: A population-based twin study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludvig Daae Bjørndal ◽  
Eivind Ystrom
Keyword(s):  
Survival Analysis ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Discrete Time ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Control Design ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Stressful Life ◽  
Full Sample ◽  
Depression Risk ◽  
Discrete Time Survival Analysis

Previous studies have found that stressful life events (SLEs) are associated with increased risk of adult depression. However, many studies are observational in nature and limited by methodological issues, such as potential confounding by genetic factors. Genetically informative studies, such as the co-twin control design, can strengthen causal inference in observational research. The co-twin control design involves comparing patterns of associations in the full sample and within dizygotic (DZ) and monozygotic twins (MZ). Discrete-time survival analysis has several benefits and multilevel survival analysis can incorporate frailty terms (random effects) to estimate the components of the biometric model. In the current study, we investigated associations between SLEs and depression risk in a population-based twin sample (N = 2299) with a co-twin control design. Associations were modelled using discrete-time survival analysis with biometric frailty terms. SLE occurrence was associated with increased depression risk. Co-twin control analyses indicated that this association was at least in part due to causal influence of SLE exposure on depression risk for event occurrence across all SLEs and of violent SLEs. Stronger within-pair estimates for economic SLEs compared with the full sample association could have resulted if the full sample association was suppressed or if within-pair estimates were inflated. If the former occurred, economic SLEs may represent particularly important risk factors for depression. A minor proportion of the total genetic risk of depression reflected genetic effects related to SLEs. Our findings have implications for future research on SLEs and depression.

scholarly journals Stressful life events are not associated with the development of dementia

2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Sundström ◽  
Michael Rönnlund ◽  
Rolf Adolfsson ◽  
Lars-Göran Nilsson
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Negative Life Events ◽  
Emotional Adjustment ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Stressful Life ◽  
Emotional Impact ◽  
Population Based Study ◽  
Positive Life Events

ABSTRACTBackground:The impact of stressful life events as a risk factor of dementia diseases is inconclusive. We sought to determine whether stressful negative life events are associated with incidental dementia in a population-based study with long-term follow-up. We also tested the hypothesis that the occurrence of positive life events could mitigate or overcome the possible adverse effects of negative life events on dementia conversion.Methods:The study involved 2,462 dementia-free participants aged 55 years and older. Information on life events was ascertained at baseline from a comprehensive Life Event Inventory, which included 56 questions about specific life events. For each life event, the emotional impact (both positive and negative) and emotional adjustment were asked for.Results:During follow-up, 423 participants developed dementia; of these, 240 developed Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cox regression analysis showed no association between the total number of negative life events and the incidence of dementia when adjusted solely for age and gender (hazard ratio = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.92–1.02), or with multiple adjustments for a range of covariates (hazard ratio = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.91–1.01). Similarly, neither emotional impact nor emotional adjustment to these life events was associated with incident dementia. A separate analysis of AD did not alter the results.Conclusions:The result of this population-based study finds no association between negative or positive life events and dementia. Accordingly, our results reject the hypothesis that stressful life events trigger the onset of dementia diseases.

Childhood sexual abuse, stressful life events and risk for major depression in women

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 1475-1482 ◽  
Author(s):  
KENNETH S. KENDLER ◽  
JONATHAN W. KUHN ◽  
CAROL A. PRESCOTT
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Major Depression ◽  
Childhood Sexual Abuse ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Stress Sensitivity ◽  
Stressful Life ◽  
Increased Risk

Background. In animals, early trauma can produce long-lasting changes in sensitivity to the pathogenic effects of stress. To explore whether similar processes occur in humans, we examine whether childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in women alters sensitivity in adulthood to the depressogenic effects of stressful life events (SLEs).Method. A history of CSA was obtained from a population-based sample of 1404 female adult twins. Cox Proportional hazard models were used to predict onsets of episodes of DSM-III-R major depression (MD) in the past year from previously assessed levels of neuroticism (N), CSA and past-year SLEs scored on long-term contextual threat.Results. In the best-fit model, onset of MD was predicted by CSA, SLEs and N. Individuals with CSA (and especially with severe CSA) had both an overall increased risk for MD and a substantially increased sensitivity to the depressogenic effects of SLEs. A ‘dose–response’ relationship between severity of CSA and sensitivity to SLEs was clearer in those with low to average levels of N than in those with high levels of N.Conclusion. As documented with physiological responses to a standardized laboratory stressor, CSA increases stress sensitivity in women in a more naturalistic setting. Both genetic and early environmental risk factors can produce long-term increase in the sensitivity of individuals to depressogenic life experiences.

Suicide in Relation to the Experience of Stressful Life Events: A Population-Based Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 544-555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Fjeldsted ◽  
Thomas William Teasdale ◽  
Martin Jensen ◽  
Annette Erlangsen
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Stressful Life ◽  
Population Based Study

A longitudinal study of stressful life events assessed at interview with an epidemiological sample of adult twins: the basis of individual variation in event exposure

1996 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1239-1252 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. L. Foley ◽  
M. C. Neale ◽  
K. S. Kendler
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Individual Variation ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Stressful Life ◽  
Small Contribution ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Epidemiological Sample ◽  
Adult Twins

SynopsisThis study investigates the basis of individual variation in exposure to stressful life events (SLEs). A population based sample of 547 MZ and 390 DZ female–female twin pairs, aged between 17 and 55 years, were surveyed by two structured interviews, separated by at least 1 year, that enquired about SLEs experienced during the preceding 12 months. Data were analysed with a model that resolves occasion specific (‘random’) versus enduring (‘stable’) influences on SLEs. The latter is partitioned into that due to genetic, familial environmental and unique environmental factors. We demonstrate that both random factors and stable individual differences underlie variation in self-reported exposure to SLEs. For most network events this stable variance makes a relatively small contribution to the total variance in SLEs exposure and is almost entirely due to genetic or familial environmental effects. Stable individual differences are more important determinants of personal SLEs, and these reflect both familial factors as well as previous experiences unshared by relatives.

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