Interaction of childhood trauma with BDNF and FKBP5 gene polymorphisms in predicting burnout in general occupational groups.

Both the BDNF gene rs6265 and the FKBP5 gene rs1360780 polymorphisms are independently associated with adult psychotic-like experiences, when exposed to high childhood abuse; however, it remains unclear whether the relationship between childhood abuse and burnout is moderated by these two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Furthermore, there is an interaction between glucocorticoid receptor transcriptional activity and BDNF signaling. Therefore, we investigated the interaction of these two SNPs with childhood trauma in predicting burnout. We recruited 990 participants (mean age 33.06 years, S.D. = 6.31) from general occupational groups and genotyped them for rs6265 and rs1360780. Burnout, childhood trauma, resilience, and job stress were measured through a series of rating scales. Gene-by-environment and gene-by-gene-by-environment interactions were examined using linear hierarchical regression and PROCESS macro in SPSS. Covariates included demographics and resilience. We found that rs6265 moderated the association between job stress and emotional exhaustion. Both rs6265 and rs1360780 moderated the association between childhood abuse and cynicism. There was significant interaction of childhood abuse × rs6265 × rs1360780 on emotional exhaustion and reduced personal accomplishment, so that rs6265 CC genotype and rs1360780 TT genotype together predicted higher levels of emotional exhaustion under high childhood abuse, while rs6265 TT genotype and rs1360780 CC genotype together exerted a resilient effect on reduced personal accomplishment in the face of childhood abuse. Our findings suggest that the rs6265 CC genotype and rs1360780 TT genotype may jointly contribute to increased risk of burnout under childhood trauma.

Genotype-genotype interactions of the OXTR gene polymorphisms are associated with self-reported daytime dysfunction, sleep latency and personal distress.

The oxytocin receptors located in the corticotropin-releasing factor neurons of the paraventricular nucleus are stimulated by oxytocin. Oxytocin functions as the regulator of the corticotropin-releasing factor system and in turn promotes sleep quality. The objective of this study was to examine the main and genotype-genotype interactive effects of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) polymorphisms on sleep quality. A total of 324 participants were randomly recruited from a university in Beijing, China. Sleep quality was measured with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The OXTR single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rs2254298, rs2268498, rs13316193, rs2268490 and rs2268491) were genotyped. The results showed that gender and age were associated with various empathy traits (all p < 0.001). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was positively correlated with the Personal Distress subscale of empathy (p < 0.001). Both rs2254298 and rs2268491 interacted with rs13316193 to influence daytime dysfunction and Personal Distress (all p < 0.05), indicating that in individuals with rs13316193 CC/CT genotype, those with rs2254298 AA/AG or rs2268491 TT/TC genotypes displayed higher daytime dysfunction and Personal Distress scores than those with rs2254298 GG or rs2268491 CC genotypes. Conversely, among the individuals with rs2254298 GG or rs2268491 CC genotypes, the rs13316193 C allele carriers had lower daytime dysfunction and Personal Distress scores than rs13316193 TT homozygotes. There was also a significant interaction between rs2268490 and rs2268498 on the sleep latency dimension of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Our findings reveal for the first time the genotype-genotype interactions of the OXTR gene on sleep quality, which may open new research avenues for studying psychopathology involving sleep problems.

Interaction between the BDNF gene rs16917237 polymorphism and job stress on job burnout of Chinese university teachers.

BACKGROUND: Job burnout is related to both environmental and genetic factors. However, previous studies on job burnout in teachers have mainly focused on potential stressors in the environment, while ignoring genetic factors. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BNDF) may be a pathogenic factor involved in burnout symptoms. Therefore, this study further investigated the relationship between the BNDF gene polymorphism, job stress and job burnout in Chinese university teachers. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, 361 faculty and staff members from a university in Beijing were enrolled. Job stress was measured with the Work Stress Scale. Job burnout was measured by the Chinese version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory which has three dimensions, namely emotional exhaustion (EE), cynicism (CY), and reduced personal accomplishment (PA). The BDNF gene rs16917237 polymorphism was genotyped in all participants. RESULTS: CY score was associated with education level (p < 0.01), and PA score was associated with age (p < 0.05). Job stress was positively correlated with EE (r = 0.776), CY (r = 0.457), and PA (r = 0.163) (all p < 0.01). After controlling for gender, age and education level, the BDNF gene rs16917237 polymorphism did not affect job burnout, but it interacted with job stress to influence EE and CY (both p < 0.05), indicating that individuals with TT genotype were more susceptible to higher levels of job stress, resulting in job burnout symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the BDNF gene rs16917237 TT genotype may be a risk factor for job burnout in Chinese university teachers.

Correlation of Job stress and self-control through various dimensions in Beijing Hospital staff.

BACKGROUND: Mental, emotional and physical exhaustion has been increasing in humans due to work related stress. Many studies have been conducted on various variables contributing to and counteracting job stress. In our study, we aimed to examine the effect of different demographic and personal variables on job stress and its correlation with self-control in a hospital setting. METHOD: Our cross-sectional study involved 220 healthy staff members from Beijing hospital. Job stress and self-control were measured via the Chinese versions of the House and Rizzo Work Scale and the Self-Control Scale, respectively. RESULT: Participants with male gender and those with leading positions of authority reported higher job stress and poorer self-control (P < 0.01). Smokers also showed poorer self-control (P < 0.05, Bonferroni corrected P > 0.05). Poor physical and mental health conditions were observed to be significantly related to poor self-control (Bonferroni corrected P < 0.01) and higher job stress (Bonferroni corrected P < 0.05). Moreover, negative correlation was found between job stress and self-control and its dimensions (P < 0.001). Furthermore, job stress group and leadership position could interact to influence self-control, healthy habit, and resistance to temptation. CONCLUSION: We concluded that gender difference, leadership position, physical and mental health conditions all can affect work stress and an individual's self-control. Moreover, self-control dimensions like impulse control and attention to work correlated to job stress. Furthermore, the interaction between job stress and leadership could affect self-control and its dimensions. Future studies can be focused on using these variables to cope up with the ever increasing work related stress in the modern world.