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Identification and genetic determination of an early life risk disposition for depressive disorder : atypical stress-related behaviour in early childhood

journal contribution
posted on 2011-03-01, 00:00 authored by J van Eekelen, Craig OlssonCraig Olsson, J Ellis, W Ang, Delyse HutchinsonDelyse Hutchinson, S Zubrick, C Pennell
Progress in psychiatric genetics has been slow despite evidence of high heritability for most mental disorders. We argue that greater use of early detectable intermediate traits (endophenotypes) with the highest likely aetiological significance to depression, rather than complex clinical phenotypes, would be advantageous. Longitudinal data from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study were used to identify an early life behavioural endophenotype for atypical hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenocortical function in adolescence, a neurobiological indicator of anxiety and depression. A set of descriptors representing rigid and reactive behaviour at age 1 year discriminated those in the top 20% of the free salivary cortisol exposure at age 17 years. Genetic association analysis revealed a male-sensitive effect to variation in three specific single nucleotide polymorphisms within selected genes underpinning the overall stress response. Furthermore, support for a polygenic effect on stress-related behaviour in childhood is presented.

History

Journal

Australian journal of psychology

Volume

63

Issue

1

Pagination

6 - 17

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Location

Oxford, U. K.

ISSN

0004-9530

eISSN

1742-9536

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2011, The Australian Psychological Society

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