Childhood Plus Gene Causes Depression?

Oct. 11, 2006 -- The power of love from a nurturing family may trump genetic risk for depression, new research shows.

A person's childhood experiences may interact with their genes to affect their depression risk, according to the study in Biological Psychiatry's October edition.

The notion that nature (genetics) and nurture (experiences) affect health isn't new. But the UCLA study shows how complicated the nature-nurture relationship may be.

"Genes are not destiny," says researcher and UCLA psychology professor Shelley E. Taylor, PhD, in a university news release.

Some genes, she says, including the gene she and her colleagues studied, "are clearly highly responsive" to environmental influences.

"That means, among other conclusions, that there is an important role that parents and even friends can play in providing protection against the risk of depression that stress can confer," Taylor says.

Depression Study

Taylor's team studied 118 young men and women who were students or employees at UCLA.

Participants were 18-29 years old (average age: about 20). None had a history of serious mental or physical problems, and none was in therapy or taking mental healthmental health medications.

Participants completed surveys to gauge their depression symptoms, self-esteem, anxiety, personality, and social support.

They also rated how loved and cared for they felt as children and whether their childhood had included experiencing or witnessing verbal or physical abuse, parental shouting or quarreling, and living with a substance abuser.

None of the participants reported childhood physical or sexual abuse.

Those reporting conflict in their childhood homes noted "fairly mild" chronic adversity, the researchers note.