Abstract
Evidence from family, twin, and adoption studies indicates that there is a significant genetic contribution to major depressive disorder. However, the majority of individuals with a positive family history of depression do not develop depression. Thus, current hypotheses about the role of genes for the development of depression collectively favor the stress-diathesis theory. The latter postulates that repeated or chronic exposure of a vulnerable genotype to stressful life events may trigger the development of depression. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is discussed as a missing link between genes, stress, and depression. The genetic variation of coping behavior in response to stress and the depression-related dysregulation of HPA axis confirm a strong impact of both genetic and environmental factors on the manifestation of depressive disorders. Such interactions would facilitate the manifestation of environmental effects in a depressive phenotype preferentially in the presence of a permissive genetic background.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | Encyclopedia of Environmental Health |
Publisher | Elsevier |
Pages | 818-822 |
Number of pages | 5 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9780444639523 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780444639516 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 2019 |
Keywords
- Adrenocorticotropin-releasing hormone
- Corticotropin-releasing hormone
- Environmental factors
- Genetic vulnerability
- Heritability
- Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
- Major depressive disorder
- Serotonin
- Serotonin transporter length region polymorphism
- Stress
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Environmental Science(all)