Gene-environment interplay in depressive symptoms: moderation by age, sex, and physical illness.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Numerous factors influence late-life depressive symptoms in adults, many not thoroughly characterized. We addressed whether genetic and environmental influences on depressive symptoms differed by age, sex, and physical illness.

Method

The analysis sample included 24 436 twins aged 40-90 years drawn from the Interplay of Genes and Environment across Multiple Studies (IGEMS) Consortium. Biometric analyses tested age, sex, and physical illness moderation of genetic and environmental variance in depressive symptoms.

Results

Women reported greater depressive symptoms than men. After age 60, there was an accelerating increase in depressive symptom scores with age, but this did not appreciably affect genetic and environmental variances. Overlap in genetic influenc

SUBMITTER: Petkus AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5706656 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature