Social support and the serotonin transporter genotype (5-HTTLPR) moderate levels of resilience, sense of coherence, and depression

Alcohol use polygenic risk score, social support, and alcohol use among European American and African American adults

Alcohol use is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. We examined the interactive effects between genome-wide polygenic risk scores for alcohol use (alc-PRS) and social support in relation to alcohol use among European American (EA) and African American (AA) adults across sex and developmental stages (emerging adulthood, young adulthood, and middle adulthood). Data were drawn from 4,011 EA and 1,274 AA adults from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism who were between ages 18-65 and had ever used alcohol. Participants completed the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism and provided saliva or blood samples for genotyping. Results indicated that social support from friends, but not family, moderated the association between alc-PRS and alcohol use among EAs and AAs (only in middle adulthood for AAs); alc-PRS was associated with higher levels of alcohol use when friend support was low, but not when friend support was high. Associations were similar across sex but differed across developmental stages. Findings support the important role of social support from friends in buffering genetic risk for alcohol use among EA and AA adults and highlight the need to consider developmental changes in the role of social support in relation to alcohol use.

Genetic Variants Associated With Resilience in Human and Animal Studies

Resilience is broadly defined as the ability to maintain or regain functioning in the face of adversity and is influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. The identification of specific genetic factors and their biological pathways underpinning resilient functioning can help in the identification of common key factors, but heterogeneities in the operationalisation of resilience have hampered advances. We conducted a systematic review of genetic variants associated with resilience to enable the identification of general resilience mechanisms. We adopted broad inclusion criteria for the definition of resilience to capture both human and animal model studies, which use a wide range of resilience definitions and measure very different outcomes. Analyzing 158 studies, we found 71 candidate genes associated with resilience. OPRM1 (Opioid receptor mu 1), NPY (neuropeptide Y), CACNA1C (calcium voltage-gated channel subunit alpha1 C), DCC (deleted in colorectal carcinoma), and FKBP5 (FKBP prolyl isomerase 5) had both animal and human variants associated with resilience, supporting the idea of shared biological pathways. Further, for OPRM1, OXTR (oxytocin receptor), CRHR1 (corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1), COMT (catechol-O-methyltransferase), BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), APOE (apolipoprotein E), and SLC6A4 (solute carrier family 6 member 4), the same allele was associated with resilience across divergent resilience definitions, which suggests these genes may therefore provide a starting point for further research examining commonality in resilience pathways.

Role of resilience and social support in the relationship between loneliness and suicidal ideation among Chinese nursing home residents

OBJECTIVES

Loneliness is a risk factor of suicidal ideation, while resilience and social support are protective factors; however, the complex mechanisms behind these factors have not been examined among nursing home residents. This study evaluated the mediating effect of resilience on the association between loneliness and suicidal ideation and whether this mediating effect was moderated by social support.

METHODS

Residents (N = 538; Aged ≥60years; 321 female, 217 male) from 37 nursing homes in China completed this cross-sectional study. Their loneliness, resilience, social support, and suicidal ideation were measured. Regression analyses using bootstrapping methods were conducted to explore the mediating and moderating effects.

RESULTS

Some residents (14.9%, 80/538) reported current suicidal ideation. The correlation between loneliness and suicidal ideation was partially mediated by resilience (indirect effect = 0.067, 95% CI = 0.011-0.122). Overall social support moderated the resilience on suicidal ideation, indirectly impacting loneliness on suicidal ideation (moderating effect = 0.086 [95% CI = 0.005-0.167]). Support from family and nursing home staff moderated the direct (path c') and indirect path (path b) of the mediation model, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings underscore the vital role of resilience and social support to buffer against suicidal ideation, which is common among nursing home residents in China.HighlightsWe evaluated suicidal ideation in mainland Chinese nursing home residentsLoneliness and suicidal ideation were partially mediated by resilienceSocial support moderated the effect of loneliness and resilience on suicidal ideationThe results were self-reported and are not generalizable to all of ChinaResilience and social support can buffer against suicidal ideation among residents.

Association of 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 with depressive symptoms in patients with coronary heart disease: A prospective study

BACKGROUND

5-HTTLPR/rs25531 is suspected to be involved in the pathogenesis of both coronary heart disease (CHD)¹ and depression. We aimed to investigate the role of 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 in the development of depressive symptoms among CHD patients in a longitudinal design.

METHODS

N = 265 participants with CHD diagnosis were included while hospitalized in a department of cardiology and genotyped for the 5-HTTLPR/rs25531. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)⁷ at baseline and after 6 and 12 months. Binary logistic regression models were used to analyze the association of 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 with the prevalence of depressive symptoms at each time point as well as with the incidence and persistence of depressive symptoms at follow-up.

RESULTS

"L_AL_A" genotype was associated with a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms 12 months after study inclusion. "L_AL_A" genotype was associated with a higher incidence of depressive symptoms 6 and 12 months after study inclusion. There was no association of 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 with the persistence of depressive symptoms.

LIMITATIONS

Inclusion criteria did not demand a particular cardiac event at baseline, which aggravated the interpretation of the time-specific results. The majority of the participants was of male gender which could cause bias. The present study only vaguely differentiated between ethnical groups which might cause bias regarding nationality-dependent allele distributions.

CONCLUSION

The present study suggests a time-dependent association of the "L_AL_A" genotype with depressive symptoms in CHD patients. 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 might be an important marker to detect risk groups for later onset depressive symptoms among CHD patients.

Genetic risk-factors for anxiety in healthy individuals: polymorphisms in genes important for the HPA axis

BACKGROUND

Two important aspects for the development of anxiety disorders are genetic predisposition and alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In order to identify genetic risk-factors for anxiety, the aim of this exploratory study was to investigate possible relationships between genetic polymorphisms in genes important for the regulation and activity of the HPA axis and self-assessed anxiety in healthy individuals.

METHODS

DNA from 72 healthy participants, 37 women and 35 men, were included in the analyses. Their DNA was extracted and analysed for the following Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP)s: rs41423247 in the NR3C1 gene, rs1360780 in the FKBP5 gene, rs53576 in the OXTR gene, 5-HTTLPR in SLC6A4 gene and rs6295 in the HTR1A gene. Self-assessed anxiety was measured by the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire.

RESULTS

Self-assessed measure of both STAI-S and STAI-T were significantly higher in female than in male participants (p = 0.030 and p = 0.036, respectively). For SNP rs41423247 in the NR3C1 gene, there was a significant difference in females in the score for STAI-S, where carriers of the G allele had higher scores compared to the females that were homozygous for the C allele (p < 0.01). For the SNP rs53576 in the OXTR gene, there was a significant difference in males, where carriers of the A allele had higher scores in STAI-T compared to the males that were homozygous for the G allele (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

This study shows that SNP rs41423247 in the NR3C1 gene and SNP rs53576 in the OXTR gene are associated with self-assessed anxiety in healthy individuals in a gender-specific manner. This suggests that these SNP candidates are possible genetic risk-factors for anxiety.

Association between resilience and a functional polymorphism in the serotonin transporter (SLC6A4) gene: A meta-analysis

Resilience is a mechanism used by humans to adapt to adverse situations. It is a protective factor against mental health problems. This process can be influenced by environmental and genetic factors. Several genes have been associated with interindividual differences in resilience levels, but the results are inconclusive. Therefore, the aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of a functional polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) in the SLC6A4 gene on resilience levels. A search in PubMed, HugeNavigator and Google Scholar databases was carried out and 16 studies about the association of 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and resilience in humans were identified. The OpenMeta[Analyst] program was employed to perform statistical analysis using a random-effects model. The final analysis included 9 studies, for a total of 4,080 subjects. Significant results were found when the standardized mean differences (SMD) of LL and SL carriers were compared, (SMD: -0.087 (confidence interval: -0.166 to -0.008; I²: 0 %); P value: 0.031). A significant result was also found in an analysis comparing SS/SL versus LL genotypes (SMD: -0.231; confidence interval: -0.400 to -0.061, P value: 0.008; I²: 0 %). This is the first meta-analysis performed to identify the pooled association of a functional polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene and resilience. The current results suggest that the L/L genotype is associated with resilience. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the role of genetics on the resilience mechanisms.

Associations Among Depressive Symptoms, Childhood Abuse, Neuroticism, Social Support, and Coping Style in the Population Covering General Adults, Depressed Patients, Bipolar Disorder Patients, and High Risk Population for Depression

BACKGROUND

Exposure to childhood abuse has been identified as a salient risk factor for the development of depression. However, the mediating factors between childhood abuse and depressive symptoms have not been sufficiently elucidated. This study aims to investigate the mediating effects of neuroticism, social support, and coping style between childhood abuse and depressive symptoms in population covering general adults, depressed patients, bipolar disorder patients, and high risk population for depression.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study. Five validated questionnaires were used to measure the psychological outcomes (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire CTQ-SF, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire EPQR-S, Social Support Rating Scale SSRS, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire SCSQ, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 PHQ-9) of 312 participants. Multiple regressions and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to conduct data analysis.

RESULTS

Multiple regression analysis and SEM showed a significant association between childhood emotional abuse and depression symptoms. Neuroticism, use of social support, and active coping style were important mediating variables of this association. The R 2 for our model was 0.456, indicating that 45.6% of the variability in depressive symptoms can be explained by the model.

CONCLUSION

This study suggested that neuroticism, active coping, and use of social support play important role in mediating the effects of childhood abuse on adult depressive symptoms.

Mediating Effect of Internet Addiction on the Association between Resilience and Depression among Korean University Students: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the mediating role of internet addiction in the association between psychological resilience and depressive symptoms.

METHODS

837 Korean university students completed a survey with items of demographic information, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) in 2015. The complex associations among psychological resilience, internet addiction, and depressive symptoms were delineated using structural equation models.

RESULTS

In the most parsimonious model, the total effect and indirect effect of resilience on depressive symptoms via internet addiction, were statistically significant. The goodness of fit of the measurement model was satisfactory with fit indices, normed fit index (NFI) of 0.990, non-normed fit index (NNFI) of 0.997, comparative fit index (CFI) of 0.998, root mean square error (RMSEA) of 0.018 (90%CI=0.001-0.034); and Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) of -21.049.

CONCLUSION

The association between psychological resilience and depressive symptoms was mediated by internet addiction in Korean university students. Enhancement of resilience programs could help prevent internet addiction and reduce the related depression risks.

A Systematic Review of Genetic Influence on Psychological Resilience

When exposed to adversity, some individuals are at an increased risk of posttraumatic stress disorder, experiencing persistent biopsychosocial disturbances, whereas others adapt well, described as resilience. Resilience is a complex biopsychosocial phenomenon conceptualized as adaptation to adversity influenced by an individual’s genetic variants, epistasis, epigenetics, and gene-by-environment interactions. Studies on psychological resilience have focused on behavioral and psychosocial variables with far less examination of the genetic contributions. The purpose of this review is to identify specific genetic variants contributing to the biological capacity for psychological resilience. PubMed and PsycINFO were searched using the following key words: psychological resilience AND genotype(s). Additional articles were identified from the Human Genome Epidemiology Navigator using the term resilience, psychological. Ten studies met the criteria. Six genes were empirically associated with psychological resilience: serotonin-transporter-linked polymorphic region ( 5-HTTLPR), dopamine receptor D4, brain-derived neurotrophic factor ( BDNF), corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1, oxytocin receptor and regulator of G-protein signaling 2 . The findings of this systematic review suggest that the L/L or L’/L’ genotype of 5-HTTLPR and rs25531 in children/adolescents and the S/S or S’/S’ genotype in adults are most frequently related to resilience. Additionally, the Val/Val genotype of rs6265 in BDNF in Caucasians was also associated with resilience. There are numerous factors contributing to the complexity of determining the genetic influence on resilience including analysis of rs25531, assumptions of the mode of inheritance, operationalization of resilience, demographic and population characteristics, sample size, and other types of genetic influence including epistasis and epigenetics. While current evidence is supportive, further investigation of the genetic influence on resilience is required.

Overlapping Chronic Pain Conditions: Implications for Diagnosis and Classification

There is increasing recognition that many if not most common chronic pain conditions are heterogeneous with a high degree of overlap or coprevalence of other common pain conditions along with influences from biopsychosocial factors. At present, very little attention is given to the high degree of overlap of many common pain conditions when recruiting for clinical trials. As such, many if not most patients enrolled into clinical studies are not representative of most chronic pain patients. The failure to account for the heterogeneous and overlapping nature of most common pain conditions may result in treatment responses of small effect size when these treatments are administered to patients with chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs) represented in the general population. In this brief review we describe the concept of COPCs and the putative mechanisms underlying COPCs. Finally, we present a series of recommendations that will advance our understanding of COPCs.

PERSPECTIVE

This brief review describes the concept of COPCs. A mechanism-based heuristic model is presented and current knowledge and evidence for COPCs are presented. Finally, a set of recommendations is provided to advance our understanding of COPCs.

Sociocultural context for sex differences in addiction

In this review, we discuss the importance of investigating both sex and gender differences in addiction and relapse in studies of humans and in animal models. Addiction is both a cultural and biological phenomenon. Sex and gender differences are not solely determined by our biology, nor are they entirely cultural; they are interactions between biology and the environment that are continuously played out throughout development. Lessons from the historical record illustrate how context and attitudes affect the way that substance use in men and women is regarded. Finally, cultural and environmental influences may differentially affect men and women, and affect how they respond to drugs of abuse and to treatment protocols. We recommend that both animal models and clinical research need to be developed to consider how contextual and social factors may influence the biological processes of addiction and relapse differentially in men and women.