The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism, early and recent life stress, and cognitive endophenotypes of depression

Abstract

Studies associating interactions of 5-HTTLPR and life adversities with depression have yielded equivocal results. Studying endophenotypes may constitute a more powerful approach. In the current study, it was assessed whether interactions of 5-HTTLPR with childhood emotional abuse (CEA) and recent negative life events (RNLE) affect possible cognitive endophenotypes of depression, namely, attention-allocation bias and the ability to recognise others' mind states in 215 young adults of North-West European descent. The ability to classify others' negative mind states was found to be increased with increasing RNLE in carriers of low-expressing Serotonin Transporter Linked Polymorphic Region (5-HTTLPR) alleles. Carriers of two low-expressing alleles also preferentially oriented attention towards negative information. Gene-environment interactions were not observed for attention allocation bias. No effects involving CEA were observed. These results suggest that low-expressing 5-HTTLPR alleles may confer increased risk for depression through enhanced recognition of negative facial expressions following RNLE.

Keywords:

• 5-HTTLPR
• Depression
• Cognitive bias
• Endophenotype
• Gene-environment interaction

The authors would like to thank Anne Junggeburt, Fabrizio Derubeis, Jessica van Leeuwen, Lili Chu, Ludo Seip, Nadin Mousa, Sebastian Potthoff, Stefan van Liempt and Stephanie Harmsen for assisting with the data collection for this study. This research was funded by an NWO Vici grant [# 453-06-005) to AJWVDD; PP is supported by an NWO VIDI grant [# 452-12-003].

The authors would like to thank Anne Junggeburt, Fabrizio Derubeis, Jessica van Leeuwen, Lili Chu, Ludo Seip, Nadin Mousa, Sebastian Potthoff, Stefan van Liempt and Stephanie Harmsen for assisting with the data collection for this study. This research was funded by an NWO Vici grant [# 453-06-005) to AJWVDD; PP is supported by an NWO VIDI grant [# 452-12-003].