Paediatrics Publications
The serotonin transporter promoter variant, stress, and attentional biases in middle childhood
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-1-2016
Journal
Personality and Individual Differences
Volume
101
First Page
371
Last Page
379
URL with Digital Object Identifier
10.1016/j.paid.2016.06.004
Abstract
Although evidence suggests that 5-HTTLPR variants may shape risk for depression, the influence is likely complex, and involves effects on endophenotypes. We examined associations between 5-HTTLPR and biases in attention to affective stimuli in a sample of girls and a sample of both boys and girls. Children with at least one short (S) variant of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism had lower positive attentional bias scores in both samples. This association was qualified by an interaction with stress in one sample, such that links between the S allele and decreased positive attentional bias was significant only when life stress was elevated. This difference in findings between the two samples was explained by sex differences in samples; the GXE interaction was significant only in boys. Findings are discussed in the context of sex differences in GXE.
