Genetic Epidemiology, Translational Neurogenomics, Psychiatric Genetics and Statistical Genetics Laboratories investigate the pattern of disease in families, particularly identical and non-identical twins, to assess the relative importance of genes and environment in a variety of important health problems.
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PMID
15053853
TITLE
Do the genetic or environmental determinants of anxiety and depression change with age? A longitudinal study of Australian twins.
ABSTRACT
Because the determinants of anxiety and depression in late adolescence and early adulthood may differ from those in later life, we investigated the temporal stability and magnitude of genetic and environmental correlates of symptoms of anxiety and depression across the life span. Data were collected from a population-based Australian sample of 4364 complete twin pairs and 777 singletons aged 20 to 96 years who were followed-up over three studies between 1980 and 1996. Each study contained the 14-item self-report DSSI/sAD scale which was used to measure recently experienced symptoms of anxiety and depression. Symptom scores were then divided and assigned to age intervals according to each subject's age at time of participation. We fitted genetic simplex models to take into account the longitudinal nature of the data. For male anxiety and depression, the best fitting simplex models comprised a single genetic innovation at age 20 which was transmitted, and explained genetic variation in anxiety and depression at ages 30, 40, 50 and 60. Most of the lifetime genetic variation in female anxiety and depression could also be explained by innovations at age 20 which were transmitted to all other ages; however, there were also smaller age-dependent genetic innovations at 30 for anxiety and at 40 and 70 for depression. Although the genetic determinants of anxiety and depression appear relatively stable across the lifespan for males and females, there is some evidence to support additional mid-life and late age gene action in females for depression. The fact that midlife onset for anxiety occurs one decade before depression is also consistent with a causal relationship (anxiety leading to depression) between these conditions. These findings have significance for large scale depression prevention projects.
DATE PUBLISHED
2004 Feb
HISTORY
PUBSTATUS PUBSTATUSDATE
pubmed 2004/04/01 05:00
medline 2004/10/27 09:00
entrez 2004/04/01 05:00
AUTHORS
NAME COLLECTIVENAME LASTNAME FORENAME INITIALS AFFILIATION AFFILIATIONINFO
Gillespie NA Gillespie Nathan A NA Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia. nathanG@qimr.edu.au
Kirk KM Kirk Katherine M KM
Evans DM Evans David M DM
Heath AC Heath Andrew C AC
Hickie IB Hickie Ian B IB
Martin NG Martin Nicholas G NG
INVESTIGATORS
JOURNAL
VOLUME: 7
ISSUE: 1
TITLE: Twin research : the official journal of the International Society for Twin Studies
ISOABBREVIATION: Twin Res
YEAR: 2004
MONTH: Feb
DAY:
MEDLINEDATE:
SEASON:
CITEDMEDIUM: Print
ISSN: 1369-0523
ISSNTYPE: Print
MEDLINE JOURNAL
MEDLINETA: Twin Res
COUNTRY: Australia
ISSNLINKING: 1369-0523
NLMUNIQUEID: 9815819
PUBLICATION TYPE
PUBLICATIONTYPE TEXT
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
Twin Study
COMMENTS AND CORRECTIONS
GRANTS
GRANTID AGENCY COUNTRY
AA07535 NIAAA NIH HHS United States
AA07728 NIAAA NIH HHS United States
AA10249 NIAAA NIH HHS United States
GENERAL NOTE
KEYWORDS
MESH HEADINGS
DESCRIPTORNAME QUALIFIERNAME
Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Anxiety genetics
Australia genetics
Depression genetics
Environment genetics
Female genetics
Humans genetics
Longitudinal Studies genetics
Male genetics
Middle Aged genetics
Multivariate Analysis genetics
Questionnaires genetics
Sex Factors genetics
SUPPLEMENTARY MESH
GENE SYMBOLS
CHEMICALS
OTHER ID's