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Study: Family Experience Can Reverse Genes

Posted on: Tuesday, 10 October 2006, 15:00 CDT

A U.S. study suggests early family experience can reverse the effect of a genetic variant linked with depression.

University of California-Los Angeles researchers found among children from supportive, nurturing families, those with the short form of the serotonin transporter gene -- 5-HTTLPR -- had a significantly reduced risk for depression.

The scientists, led by Professor Shelley Taylor, also found among children from emotionally cold, unsupportive homes marked by conflict and anger, those with the short form of the 5-HTTLPR gene were at greater risk for depression, as some previous research has also shown.

The scientists say their findings suggest a person's likelihood of developing depressive symptoms was not predicted by only the combination of alleles but; rather, it was the combination of the person's environment and genetic variant that determined whether the person experienced symptoms of depression, said Taylor.

Among the study's implications is that the short form of the 5-HTTLPR is highly responsive to environmental influence and its effects vary substantially, depending on how supportive the external environment is.

Taylor and research colleagues William Welch, Clayton Hilmert, Barbara Lehman and Naomi Eisenberger detail the study in the journal Biological Psychiatry.

Source: United Press International

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