• myGriffith
    • Staff portal
    • Contact Us⌄
      • Future student enquiries 1800 677 728
      • Current student enquiries 1800 154 055
      • International enquiries +61 7 3735 6425
      • General enquiries 07 3735 7111
      • Online enquiries
      • Staff phonebook
    View Item 
    •   Home
    • Griffith Research Online
    • Journal articles
    • View Item
    • Home
    • Griffith Research Online
    • Journal articles
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Browse

  • All of Griffith Research Online
    • Communities & Collections
    • Authors
    • By Issue Date
    • Titles
  • This Collection
    • Authors
    • By Issue Date
    • Titles
  • Statistics

  • Most Popular Items
  • Statistics by Country
  • Most Popular Authors
  • Support

  • Contact us
  • FAQs
  • Admin login

  • Login
  • Stress, COMT Polymorphisms, and Depressive Symptoms in Older Australian Women: An Exploratory Study

    Author(s)
    Seib, Charrlotte
    Whiteside, Eliza
    Voisey, Joanne
    Lee, Kathryn
    Alexander, Kimberley
    Humphreys, Janice
    Chopin, Lisa
    Anderson, Debra
    Griffith University Author(s)
    Anderson, Debra J.
    Seib, Charrlotte
    Year published
    2016
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    Objectives: This exploratory study examined the association between exposure to stressful life events, polymorphisms (rs165774 and rs4680) in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene, and risk of depression in women. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional design gathered information from 150 Australia women, aged 60–70 years, on sociodemographics, stressful life events, and depressive symptoms. Participants also provided buccal cell swabs for genetic analysis. Results: Among women exposed to stressful life events, the odds of depressive symptoms increased by 18% with each additional exposure (95% confidence interval ...
    View more >
    Objectives: This exploratory study examined the association between exposure to stressful life events, polymorphisms (rs165774 and rs4680) in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene, and risk of depression in women. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional design gathered information from 150 Australia women, aged 60–70 years, on sociodemographics, stressful life events, and depressive symptoms. Participants also provided buccal cell swabs for genetic analysis. Results: Among women exposed to stressful life events, the odds of depressive symptoms increased by 18% with each additional exposure (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.04–1.33, p = 0.007). Women who carried at least one “A” allele (AA/AG) for both rs165774 and rs4680 single nucleotide polymorphisms were less likely to report depressive symptoms (compared with women with the GG genotype; p = 0.019 and p = 0.037, respectively), although moderation analysis did not support the hypotheses of an interaction with stressful life events (rs165774: odds ratio [OR] = 1.13, 95% CI 0.87–1.46, p = 0.347; rs4680: OR = 1.15, 95% CI 0.91–1.44, p = 0.238). Conclusion: Our research suggests that women with polymorphisms in COMT were less susceptible to depressive symptoms but these polymorphisms do not appear to influence susceptibility to depression in those exposed to life stressors. Further research should consider other genetic variants in catecholamine pathways and their potential impact on women's mental health.
    View less >
    Journal Title
    Genetic Testing and Molecular Biomarkers
    Volume
    20
    Issue
    8
    DOI
    https://doi.org/10.1089/gtmb.2015.0028
    Subject
    Clinical Sciences not elsewhere classified
    Genetics
    Clinical Sciences
    Publication URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10072/123812
    Collection
    • Journal articles

    Footer

    Disclaimer

    • Privacy policy
    • Copyright matters
    • CRICOS Provider - 00233E

    Tagline

    • Gold Coast
    • Logan
    • Brisbane - Queensland, Australia
    First Peoples of Australia
    • Aboriginal
    • Torres Strait Islander