Depression Stems From Both Nature And Nurture
January 16, 2008
Depression is one of the most common forms of psychopathology. According to
diathesis-stress theories of depression, genetic liability interacts with
negative life experiences to cause depression. Traditionally, most studies
testing these theories have focused on only one component of the
diathesis-stress model: either genetics or environment, but not their
interaction. However, because of recent advances in genetics and genomics,
researchers have begun using a new design that allows them to test the
interaction of genetic and environmental liabilities - the G x E design.
Studies suggest that the neurotransmitter dopamine may play a role in the risk
for depression. Early negative interpersonal environments (i.e. rejecting
parents) have also been implicated. So, University of Notre Dame psychologist,
Gerald Haeffel, and colleagues investigated whether a gene associated with
dopamine interacted with maternal parenting style to predict episodes of
depression.
The researchers studied 177 male adolescents from a juvenile detention center in
Russia. These participants were ideal candidates for the study because
depression rates rise so dramatically during this period in life. The
researchers used a structured diagnostic interview to diagnose depression and a
questionnaire to assess aspects of maternal parental rearing (i.e. physical
punishment, hostility, lack of respect for the child's point of view, and
unjustified criticism in front of others).
The results are fascinating. While neither factor alone predicted depression,
the boys with especially rejecting mothers, and a specific form of the dopamine
transporter gene were at higher risk for major depression and suicidal ideation.
This study, which appears in the January issue of Psychological Science,
a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, is among the first to
support the role of a dopamine related gene in the onset of depression.
By the year 2020, depression is projected to be the 2nd leading cause of
disability worldwide. Identifying factors that contribute to risk and resilience
for depression is vital to our society. The results suggest that using
psychosocial interventions to increase dopamine activity in the brain, helping
patients focus on identifying and pursuing new goals and rewards could prove
beneficial to lowering depression rates.
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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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Author: Gerald Haeffel
Psychological Science is ranked among the top 10 general psychology
journals for impact by the Institute for Scientific Information. The article
title is: "Association Between Polymorphisms in the Dopamine Transporter
Gene and Depression: Evidence for a Gene-Environment Interaction in a Sample of
Juvenile Detainees."
Source: Catherine West
Association for
Psychological Science
Medical News Today: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com
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