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Testing Models for the Contributions of Genes and Environment to Developmental Change in Adolescent Depression

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Abstract

We tested two models to identify the genetic and environmental processes underlying longitudinal changes in depression among adolescents. The first assumes that observed changes in covariance structure result from the unfolding of inherent, random individual differences in the overall levels and rates of change in depression over time (random growth curves). The second assumes that observed changes are due to time-specific random effects (innovations) accumulating over time (autoregressive effects). We found little evidence of age-specific genetic effects or persistent genetic innovations. Instead, genetic effects are consistent with a gradual unfolding in the liability to depression and rates of change with increasing age. Likewise, the environment also creates significant individual differences in overall levels of depression and rates of change. However, there are also time-specific environmental experiences that persist with fidelity. The implications of these differing genetic and environmental mechanisms in the etiology of depression are considered.

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Conflict of Interest

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavior Genetics, Richmond, VA, USA

    Nathan A. Gillespie, Lindon J. Eaves, Hermine Maes & Judy L. Silberg

  2. QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Nathan A. Gillespie

Authors
  1. Nathan A. Gillespie
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  2. Lindon J. Eaves
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  3. Hermine Maes
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  4. Judy L. Silberg
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Correspondence to Nathan A. Gillespie.

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Edited by Matt McGue.

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Gillespie, N.A., Eaves, L.J., Maes, H. et al. Testing Models for the Contributions of Genes and Environment to Developmental Change in Adolescent Depression. Behav Genet 45, 382–393 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-015-9715-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-015-9715-9

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