Polymorphism Interacts with Childhood Maltreatment in Determining Anxiety Sensitivity by Sex: A Preliminary Study in Healthy Young Adults.

OBJECTIVE

Recent studies have reported associations of retinoid-related orphan receptor alpha () gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with depression and anxiety disorders. Based on these, we attempt to test whether polymorphism is associated with anxiety sensitivity (AS), the intermediate phenotype of depression and anxiety disorders. Considering gene-environment interactions and sex differences in AS, childhood maltreatment (CM) and sex were considered as confounders.

METHODS

Two-hundred and five healthy young Korean adults (female: 98, male: 107; age, 23.0±3.2 years) completed genotyping for the SNP rs11071547, as well as measures for AS and CM. Generalized linear models were used to examine the main and interaction effects of genotype, CM, and sex in determining AS.

RESULTS

The main effect of polymorphisms was not found (=0.760) whereas the main effect of CM and interaction effects among sex, genotype, and maltreatment were significant on AS. In separate analyses by sex, the interaction effect between genotype and maltreatment was significant only in males (＜0.001). In females, the main effects of genotype and CM were significant (both were ＜0.001), in which both a history of CM and C genotype tended to be associated with higher AS.

CONCLUSION

The association between RORA polymorphism and AS might differ by sex. The interaction between RORA polymorphism and CM was significant only in males whereas genotype and CM independently associated with AS in females. Further studies are encouraged to confirm the relationship between RORA polymorphism and AS.