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Serotonin functioning and adolescents' alcohol use: A genetically informed study examining mechanisms of risk.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Wang, FL; Chassin, L; Bates, JE; Dick, D; Lansford, JE; Pettit, GS; Dodge, KA
Published in: Development and psychopathology
February 2018

The current study used data from two longitudinal samples to test whether self-regulation, depressive symptoms, and aggression/antisociality were mediators in the relation between a polygenic score indexing serotonin (5-HT) functioning and alcohol use in adolescence. The results from an independent genome-wide association study of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in the cerebrospinal fluid were used to create 5-HT polygenic risk scores. Adolescents and/or parents reported on adolescents' self-regulation (Time 1), depressive symptoms (Time 2), aggression/antisociality (Time 2), and alcohol use (Time 3). The results showed that 5-HT polygenic risk did not predict self-regulation. However, adolescents with higher levels of 5-HT polygenic risk showed greater depression and aggression/antisociality. Adolescents' aggression/antisociality mediated the relation between 5-HT polygenic risk and later alcohol use. Deficits in self-regulation also predicted depression and aggression/antisociality, and indirectly predicted alcohol use through aggression/antisociality. Pathways to alcohol use were especially salient for males from families with low parental education in one of the two samples. The results provide insights into the longitudinal mechanisms underlying the relation between 5-HT functioning and alcohol use (i.e., earlier aggression/antisociality). There was no evidence that genetically based variation in 5-HT functioning predisposed individuals to deficits in self-regulation. Genetically based variation in 5-HT functioning and self-regulation might be separate, transdiagnostic risk factors for several types of psychopathology.

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Published In

Development and psychopathology

DOI

EISSN

1469-2198

ISSN

0954-5794

Publication Date

February 2018

Volume

30

Issue

1

Start / End Page

213 / 233

Related Subject Headings

  • Underage Drinking
  • Serotonin
  • Risk Factors
  • Parents
  • Male
  • Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid
  • Humans
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • Female
  • Developmental & Child Psychology
 

Citation

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ICMJE
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Wang, F. L., Chassin, L., Bates, J. E., Dick, D., Lansford, J. E., Pettit, G. S., & Dodge, K. A. (2018). Serotonin functioning and adolescents' alcohol use: A genetically informed study examining mechanisms of risk. Development and Psychopathology, 30(1), 213–233. https://doi.org/10.1017/s095457941700058x
Wang, Frances L., Laurie Chassin, John E. Bates, Danielle Dick, Jennifer E. Lansford, Gregory S. Pettit, and Kenneth A. Dodge. “Serotonin functioning and adolescents' alcohol use: A genetically informed study examining mechanisms of risk.Development and Psychopathology 30, no. 1 (February 2018): 213–33. https://doi.org/10.1017/s095457941700058x.
Wang FL, Chassin L, Bates JE, Dick D, Lansford JE, Pettit GS, et al. Serotonin functioning and adolescents' alcohol use: A genetically informed study examining mechanisms of risk. Development and psychopathology. 2018 Feb;30(1):213–33.
Wang, Frances L., et al. “Serotonin functioning and adolescents' alcohol use: A genetically informed study examining mechanisms of risk.Development and Psychopathology, vol. 30, no. 1, Feb. 2018, pp. 213–33. Epmc, doi:10.1017/s095457941700058x.
Wang FL, Chassin L, Bates JE, Dick D, Lansford JE, Pettit GS, Dodge KA. Serotonin functioning and adolescents' alcohol use: A genetically informed study examining mechanisms of risk. Development and psychopathology. 2018 Feb;30(1):213–233.
Journal cover image

Published In

Development and psychopathology

DOI

EISSN

1469-2198

ISSN

0954-5794

Publication Date

February 2018

Volume

30

Issue

1

Start / End Page

213 / 233

Related Subject Headings

  • Underage Drinking
  • Serotonin
  • Risk Factors
  • Parents
  • Male
  • Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid
  • Humans
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • Female
  • Developmental & Child Psychology