Effects of Genes and Environment on Depression and Panic

描述（由申请人提供）：本论文的研究将探讨儿童环境和家庭背景因素，创伤性事件和遗传效应的抑郁症，恐慌发作和恐慌症的发展，使用遗传信息样本的双胞胎的联合贡献。探索基因和环境之间的相互作用可以成为干预研究的重要工具。确定环境因素对疾病后期表达影响最大的发育阶段，可以帮助确定早期预防或干预工作的更精确和潜在有效点。本研究的目的是（1）研究早期创伤暴露与抑郁症发展之间的关系，考虑性别、创伤类型和首次创伤时的年龄的影响，（2）确定与早期创伤暴露风险增加相关的家庭背景因素，并确定早期创伤暴露和相关家庭背景因素对抑郁症风险的贡献，（3）检验创伤、家庭背景因素和遗传效应对抑郁风险的联合作用;（4）检验家庭背景因素、创伤事件和遗传效应对抑郁、惊恐发作和惊恐障碍风险的差异作用。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This dissertation research will examine the joint contributions of childhood environment and family background factors, traumatic events, and genetic effects to the development of depression, panic attacks, and panic disorder using a genetically informative sample of twins. Exploration of the interplay between genes and environment can be an important tool for intervention research. Identifying developmental stages where environmental factors can have the greatest effect on later expression of disorder can aid in identification of more precise and potentially effective points for early prevention or intervention efforts. The aims of this proposal are (1) to examine associations between early trauma exposure and development of depression, considering effects of gender, type of trauma, and age at first trauma, (2) to identify family background factors associated with increased risk of early trauma exposure, and to determine contributions of early trauma exposure and correlated family background factors to risk for depression, (3) to examine the joint contributions of trauma, family background factors, and genetic effects on risk for depression, (4) to examine the differential effects of family background factors, traumatic events, and genetic effects on risk for depression, panic attacks, and panic disorder.