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Contributions Of Maltreatment And Serotonin Transporter Genotype To Depression In Childhood, Adolescence, And Early Adulthood, J. J. Cutuli, K. Lee Raby, Dante Cicchetti, Michelle M. Englund, Byron Egeland

J. J. Cutuli

Background: Past findings on gene-by-environment (GxE) effects on depression have been mixed, leading to a debate of the plausibility of such mechanisms and methodological considerations that warrant attention. A developmental systems perspective postulates that complex, multi-level GxE effects are likely contributors to depression. Methods: Participants from families experiencing low-income status at birth were followed over 28 years. Maltreatment was recorded prospectively using multiple means and sources. Depression was measured repeatedly using well-validated interviews in middle childhood, through adolescence, and into adulthood. Results: Findings support a GxE effect where the less efficient form of the promoter region of the serotonin transporter …