ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Recent 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. AIMS: To investigate factors related to the response to receiving one's own serotonin transporter genotype results. METHOD: Predictors of the impact of receiving individual genotype data were assessed in 128 participants in a study of gene-environment interaction in depression onset. RESULTS: Two-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. CONCLUSIONS: There 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.
Subject(s)
Depressive Disorder/genetics , Genetic Testing/psychology , Patient Access to Records/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Age of Onset , Attitude to Health , Cohort Studies , Female , Genetic Predisposition to Disease/psychology , Genotype , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Patient Access to Records/statistics & numerical data , Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins/genetics , Statistics, Nonparametric , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the strategies people use to cope with stress were associated with differing serotonin transporter (5-HTT) genotypes. The short (s) variant of the 5-HTT promoter polymorphism has been associated with an increased likelihood of depression after significant life stress and greater emotional reactivity to fear-invoking stimuli. METHODS: Coping strategies were assessed within a longitudinal study in 1993. Ten years later, genomic DNA was obtained for 127 participants and genotypes for the 5-HTT promoter polymorphism were determined. Coping strategies were grouped into coping scales and also using an exploratory factor analysis. Using ordinal regression, associations were then examined between the coping scales and the 5-HTT genotype and gender. RESULTS: The short variant of the 5-HTT promoter polymorphism was associated with the use of fewer problem-solving strategies. This genotype effect differed significantly between the sexes and was greatest for males. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that coping is influenced by 5-HTT genotype, gender, and their interaction. We raise the possibility that a gene-related disposition to greater emotional reactivity may preclude those with the short variant of the 5-HTT promoter polymorphism from drawing on problem-solving strategies to deal with stress.
