Open AccessBDNF Met66 modulates the cumulative effect of psychosocial childhood adversities on major depression in adolescents
Author(s) -
CruzFuentes Carlos S.,
Benjet Corina,
MartínezLevy Gabriela A.,
PérezMolina Amado,
BrionesVelasco Magdalena,
SuárezGonzález Jesús
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
brain and behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 41
ISSN - 2162-3279
DOI - 10.1002/brb3.220
Subject(s) - psychosocial , major depressive disorder , depression (economics) , psychology , clinical psychology , neglect , psychiatry , brain derived neurotrophic factor , medicine , neurotrophic factors , cognition , receptor , economics , macroeconomics
Background The interplay among lifetime adversities and the genetic background has been previously examined on a variety of measures of depression; however, only few studies have focused on major depression disorder ( MDD ) in adolescence. Methods Using clinical data and DNA samples from mouthwash gathered from an epidemiological study on the prevalence of mental disorders in youths between 12 and 17 years old, we tested the statistical interaction between a set of psychosocial adversities experienced during childhood (CAs) with two common polymorphisms in the brain‐derived neurotrophic factor ( BDNF ) (Val66Met) and SLC6A4 (L/S) genes on the probability of suffering MDD in adolescence. Results Genotype or allele frequencies for both polymorphisms were similar between groups of comparison ( MDD N = 246; controls N = 270). The CA s factors: Abuse, neglect, and family dysfunctions; parental maladjustment, parental death, and to have experienced a life‐threatening physical illness were predictors of clinical depression in adolescents. Remarkably, the cumulative number of psychosocial adversities was distinctly associated with an increase in the prevalence of depression but only in those Val/Val BDNF individuals; while the possession of at least a copy of the BDNF Met allele (i.e., Met +) was statistically linked with a “refractory” or resilient phenotype to the noticeable influence of CA s. Conclusion Liability or resilience to develop MDD in adolescence is dependent of a complex interplay between particular environmental exposures and a set of plasticity genes including BDNF . A better understanding of these factors is important for developing better prevention and early intervention measures.