Adolescent irritability: phenotypic associations and genetic links with depressed mood.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Irritability has been proposed to underlie the developmental link between oppositional problems and depression. Little is known, however, about the genetic and environmental influences on irritability and its overlap with depression. Drawing on the notion of "generalist genes" (genes of general effect that underlie phenotypic overlap between disorders), the authors test the hypothesis that the association between irritability and depression is accounted for by genetic factors.

Method

Data from the G1219 study, a U.K. twin/sibling sample (N=2,651), were used in a cross-sectional and longitudinal design. The irritable and headstrong/hurtful dimensions of oppositional behavior were derived using factor analysis. Regression was used to estimate the association between

SUBMITTER: Stringaris A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3660701 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature