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Modification of depression by COMT val158met polymorphism in children exposed to early severe psychosocial deprivation.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Drury, SS; Theall, KP; Smyke, AT; Keats, BJB; Egger, HL; Nelson, CA; Fox, NA; Marshall, PJ; Zeanah, CH
Published in: Child Abuse Negl
June 2010

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) val(158)met allele on depressive symptoms in young children exposed to early severe social deprivation as a result of being raised in institutions. METHODS: One hundred thirty six children from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project (BEIP) were randomized before 31 months of age to either care as usual (CAU) in institutions or placement in newly created foster care (FCG). At 54 months of age, a psychiatric assessment using the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment (PAPA) was completed. DNA was collected and genotyped for the COMT val(158)met polymorphism. Multivariate analysis examined the relationship between COMT alleles and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Mean level of depressive symptoms was lower among participants with the met allele compared to those with two copies of the val allele (P<0.05). Controlling for group and gender, the rate of depressive symptoms was significantly lower among participants with the met/met or the met/val genotype [adjusted relative risk (aRR)=0.67, 95% CI=0.45, 0.99] compared to participants with the val/val genotype, indicating an intermediate impact for heterozygotes consistent with the biological impact of this polymorphism. The impact of genotype within groups differed significantly. There was a significant protective effect of the met allele on depressive symptoms within the CAU group, however there was no relationship seen within the FCG group. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study, to our knowledge, to find evidence of a genexenvironment interaction in the setting of early social deprivation. These results support the hypothesis that individual genetic differences may explain some of the variability in recovery amongst children exposed to early severe social deprivation.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Child Abuse Negl

DOI

EISSN

1873-7757

Publication Date

June 2010

Volume

34

Issue

6

Start / End Page

387 / 395

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Psychosocial Deprivation
  • Polymorphism, Genetic
  • Male
  • Infant
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Developmental & Child Psychology
  • Depressive Disorder, Major
  • Child, Preschool
  • Child Abuse
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Drury, S. S., Theall, K. P., Smyke, A. T., Keats, B. J. B., Egger, H. L., Nelson, C. A., … Zeanah, C. H. (2010). Modification of depression by COMT val158met polymorphism in children exposed to early severe psychosocial deprivation. Child Abuse Negl, 34(6), 387–395. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2009.09.021
Drury, Stacy S., Katherine P. Theall, Anna T. Smyke, Bronya J. B. Keats, Helen L. Egger, Charles A. Nelson, Nathan A. Fox, Peter J. Marshall, and Charles H. Zeanah. “Modification of depression by COMT val158met polymorphism in children exposed to early severe psychosocial deprivation.Child Abuse Negl 34, no. 6 (June 2010): 387–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2009.09.021.
Drury SS, Theall KP, Smyke AT, Keats BJB, Egger HL, Nelson CA, et al. Modification of depression by COMT val158met polymorphism in children exposed to early severe psychosocial deprivation. Child Abuse Negl. 2010 Jun;34(6):387–95.
Drury, Stacy S., et al. “Modification of depression by COMT val158met polymorphism in children exposed to early severe psychosocial deprivation.Child Abuse Negl, vol. 34, no. 6, June 2010, pp. 387–95. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2009.09.021.
Drury SS, Theall KP, Smyke AT, Keats BJB, Egger HL, Nelson CA, Fox NA, Marshall PJ, Zeanah CH. Modification of depression by COMT val158met polymorphism in children exposed to early severe psychosocial deprivation. Child Abuse Negl. 2010 Jun;34(6):387–395.
Journal cover image

Published In

Child Abuse Negl

DOI

EISSN

1873-7757

Publication Date

June 2010

Volume

34

Issue

6

Start / End Page

387 / 395

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Psychosocial Deprivation
  • Polymorphism, Genetic
  • Male
  • Infant
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Developmental & Child Psychology
  • Depressive Disorder, Major
  • Child, Preschool
  • Child Abuse