Sensitive period-regulating genetic pathways and exposure to adversity shape risk for depression.

ABSTRACT: Animal and human studies have documented the existence of developmental windows (or sensitive periods) when experience can have lasting effects on brain structure or function, behavior, and disease. Although sensitive periods for depression likely arise through a complex interplay of genes and experience, this possibility has not yet been explored in humans. We examined the effect of genetic pathways regulating sensitive periods, alone and in interaction with common childhood adversities, on depression risk. Guided by a translational approach, we: (1) performed association analyses of three gene sets (60 genes) shown in animal studies to regulate sensitive periods using summary data from a genome-wide association study of depression (n = 807,553); (2) evaluated the developmental expression

SUBMITTER: Zhu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8674315 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature