Serotonin receptor 2A gene and the influence of childhood maternal nurturance on adulthood depressive symptoms.

BACKGROUND Gene-environment interactions are assumed to be involved in the development of depression. OBJECTIVE To determine whether the serotonin receptor 2A (HTR2A) gene moderates the association between childhood maternal nurturance and depressive symptoms in adulthood. DESIGN A 21-year, prospective, longitudinal study with 2 measurements of the independent and dependent variables. SETTING A population-based sample. PARTICIPANTS A subsample of 1212 participants of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study, aged 3 to 18 years at baseline. Main Outcome Measure Depressive symptoms in adulthood. RESULTS Individuals carrying the T/T or T/C genotype of the T102C polymorphism of the HTR2A gene were responsive to the protective aspects of nurturing mothering, so that in the presence of high maternal nurturance, they expressed low levels of depressive symptoms, while this was not true with the carriers of the C/C genotype. CONCLUSION The HTR2A gene may be involved in the development of depression by influencing the ability of individuals to use environmental support.