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. 2003 Jul 18;301(5631):386-9.
doi: 10.1126/science.1083968.

Influence of life stress on depression: moderation by a polymorphism in the 5-HTT gene

Avshalom Caspi  1 , Karen Sugden, Terrie E Moffitt, Alan Taylor, Ian W Craig, HonaLee Harrington, Joseph McClay, Jonathan Mill, Judy Martin, Antony Braithwaite, Richie Poulton
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Influence of life stress on depression: moderation by a polymorphism in the 5-HTT gene

Avshalom Caspi et al. Science. .

Abstract

In a prospective-longitudinal study of a representative birth cohort, we tested why stressful experiences lead to depression in some people but not in others. A functional polymorphism in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter (5-HT T) gene was found to moderate the influence of stressful life events on depression. Individuals with one or two copies of the short allele of the 5-HT T promoter polymorphism exhibited more depressive symptoms, diagnosable depression, and suicidality in relation to stressful life events than individuals homozygous for the long allele. This epidemiological study thus provides evidence of a gene-by-environment interaction, in which an individual's response to environmental insults is moderated by his or her genetic makeup.

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