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Disentangling the causal inter-relationship between negative life events and depressive symptoms in women: a longitudinal twin study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2012

M. Wichers ,
H. H. Maes ,
N. Jacobs ,
C. Derom ,
E. Thiery  and
K. S. Kendler
M. Wichers*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, South Limburg Mental Health Research and Teaching Network, EURON, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
H. H. Maes
Affiliation:
Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Psychiatry and Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Richmond, VA, USA Virginia Commonwealth University, Massey Cancer Center, Richmond, VA, USA
N. Jacobs
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, South Limburg Mental Health Research and Teaching Network, EURON, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands Faculty of Psychology, Open University of the Netherlands, Heerlen, The Netherlands
C. Derom
Affiliation:
Department of Human Genetics, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
E. Thiery
Affiliation:
Association for Scientific Research in Multiple Births, Ghent, Belgium
K. S. Kendler
Affiliation:
Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Psychiatry and Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Richmond, VA, USA
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr M. Wichers, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, South Limburg Mental Health Research and Teaching Network, EURON, Maastricht University, Vijverdalseweg 1, Concorde building, Maastricht, The Netherlands. (Email: m.wichers@sp.unimaas.nl)
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Abstract

Background

Negative life events are strongly associated with the development of depression. However, the etiologic relationship between life events and depression is complex. Evidence suggests that life events can cause depression, and depression increases the risk for life events. Additionally, third factors influencing both phenotypes may be involved. In this work we sought to disentangle these relationships using a genetically informative longitudinal design.

Method

Adult female twins (n=536, including 281 twin pairs) were followed up for measurements of negative life event exposure and depressive symptoms. Four follow-ups were completed, each approximately 3 months apart. Model fitting was carried out using the Mx program.

Results

The best-fitting model included causal paths from life events to depressive symptoms for genetic and shared environmental risk factors, whereas paths from depressive symptoms to life events were apparent for shared environmental factors. Shared latent influence on both phenotypes was found for individual-specific effects.

Conclusions

Life events and depressive symptoms have complex inter-relationships that differ across sources of variance. The results of the model, if replicated, indicate that reducing life event exposure would reduce depressive symptoms and that lowering depressive symptoms would decrease the occurrence of negative life events.

Keywords

Depressive symptomslongitudinal studiesstatistical modellingstressful eventstwins
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 42 , Issue 9 , September 2012 , pp. 1801 - 1814
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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