The short alleles of 5-HTTLPR moderated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and chronic depression in adulthood, reflected in a significant gene-environment interaction (RD = 0.226, 95% CI: 0.076-0.376, P = .0032).
Functional polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene interacts with stressful life events but not childhood maltreatment in the etiology of depression.
Specific and complementary roles of genetic factors have been delineated: a common functional length polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) moderated the effect of childhood maltreatment on chronic depression in adulthood, but did not substantially influence the effects of adult stressful life events on the onset of new depressive episodes; in contrast, a common functional polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene (BDNF) moderated the effect of stressful life events in adulthood in triggering new depressive episodes, but did not influence the effects of childhood maltreatment.