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A multivariate twin study of trait mindfulness, depressive symptoms, and anxiety sensitivity.

ABSTRACT: Mindfulness-based therapies have been shown to be effective in treating depression and reducing cognitive biases. Anxiety sensitivity is one cognitive bias that may play a role in the association between mindfulness and depressive symptoms. It refers to an enhanced sensitivity toward symptoms of anxiety, with a belief that these are harmful. Currently, little is known about the mechanisms underpinning the association between mindfulness, depression, and anxiety sensitivity. The aim of this study was to examine the role of genetic and environmental factors in trait mindfulness, and its genetic and environmental overlap with depressive symptoms and anxiety sensitivity.Over 2,100 16-year-old twins from a population-based study rated their mindfulness, depressive symptoms, and anxiety sensitivity.Twin modeling analyses revealed that mindfulness is 32% heritable and 66% due to nonshared environmental factors, with no significant influence of shared environment. Genetic influences explained over half of the moderate phenotypic associations between low mindfulness, depressive symptoms, and anxiety sensitivity. About two-thirds of genetic influences and almost all nonshared environmental influences on mindfulness were independent of depression and anxiety sensitivity.This is the first study to show that both genes and environment play an important role in the etiology of mindfulness in adolescence. Future research should identify the specific environmental factors that influence trait mindfulness during development to inform targeted treatment and resilience interventions. Shared genetic liability underpinning the co-occurrence of low mindfulness, depression, and anxiety sensitivity suggests that the biological pathways shared between these traits should also be examined.

SUBMITTER: Waszczuk MA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4413043 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A multivariate twin study of trait mindfulness, depressive symptoms, and anxiety sensitivity.

Waszczuk Monika A MA Zavos Helena M S HM Antonova Elena E Haworth Claire M CM Plomin Robert R Eley Thalia C TC

Depression and anxiety 20150130 4

<h4>Background</h4>Mindfulness-based therapies have been shown to be effective in treating depression and reducing cognitive biases. Anxiety sensitivity is one cognitive bias that may play a role in the association between mindfulness and depressive symptoms. It refers to an enhanced sensitivity toward symptoms of anxiety, with a belief that these are harmful. Currently, little is known about the mechanisms underpinning the association between mindfulness, depression, and anxiety sensitivity. Th ...[more]

PMID: 25639257

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Project description:Background>Patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders have a high psychiatric co-morbidity. This study aimed to investigate and characterise gastrointestinal symptoms in relation to depressive symptoms and trait anxiety in a well-defined population of young adult psychiatric outpatients and healthy controls.MethodsGastrointestinal symptoms were assessed with the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (GSRS-IBS). Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale- Self assessment (MADRS-S). Trait anxiety was estimated with three of the Swedish universities of Personality (SSP) scales: Somatic trait anxiety, Psychic trait anxiety and Stress susceptibility. Self-ratings were collected from 491 young adult psychiatric outpatients and 85 healthy controls. Gastrointestinal symptom severity was compared between patients with and without current psychotropic medication and controls. Associations between gastrointestinal symptoms, depressive symptoms and trait anxiety were assessed using Spearman's coefficients and generalized linear models adjusting for possible confounders (sex, body mass index, bulimia nervosa).ResultsPatients, with and without current psychotropic medication, reported significantly more gastrointestinal symptoms than controls. In the generalized linear models, total MADRS-S score (p < 0.001), Somatic trait anxiety (p < 0.001), Psychic trait anxiety (p = 0.002) and Stress susceptibility (p = 0.002) were independent predictors of the total GSRS-IBS score. Further exploratory analysis using unsupervised learning revealed a diverse spectrum of symptoms that clustered into six groups.ConclusionGastrointestinal symptoms are both highly prevalent and diverse in young adult psychiatric outpatients, regardless of current psychotropic medication. Depressive symptom severity and degree of trait anxiety are independently related to the total gastrointestinal symptom burden.

Project description:BackgroundTwin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a highly morbid condition in which treatment exists, but the pregnancy remains high-risk until delivery. It may have serious sequelae, including fetal death, and in the longer term, neurodevelopmental problems. The aim of this study is to assess antenatal and postnatal parental attachment and depressive symptoms in those with pregnancies affected by TTTS.MethodsCouples attending for fetoscopic laser ablation treatment of TTTS were asked to complete Condon's Maternal/Paternal Antenatal/Postnatal Attachment Scale as appropriate, and the Edinburgh Depression Scale the day before ablation, 4 weeks post-ablation, and 6-10 weeks postnatally.Results25/27 couples completed the pre-ablation questionnaire (median gestational age 19 + 3 weeks [interquartile range 18 + 2-20 + 6]). 8/18 eligible couples returned the post-ablation questionnaire. 5/17 eligible couples returned the postnatal questionnaire. There was no significant difference in parento-fetal attachment when mothers were compared to fathers at each time point, however parento-fetal attachment did increase over time in mothers (p = 0.004), but not fathers. Mothers reported more depressive symptoms antenatally compared to fathers (p < 0.02), but there was no difference postnatally. 50% women reported Edinburgh Depression Scale scores above the cut-off (≥15) 4 weeks post-ablation. Over time maternal depressive symptoms decreased (p = 0.006), however paternal depressive symptoms remained the same.ConclusionsThis is the first attachment and depression study in a UK cohort of parents with pregnancies affected by TTTS. Although this was a small cohort and the questionnaires used had not been validated in these circumstances, the results suggest that centres caring for these couples should be aware of the risk of maternal and paternal antenatal depression, and screen and refer for additional psychological support. Further work is needed in larger cohorts.Trial registrationISRCTN 13114861 (retrospectively registered).

Project description:BACKGROUND:The direction of the association between inflammation and depressive symptoms remains inconsistent. The objective of this study was to evaluate the temporal relationship between inflammation and depressive symptoms, and to assess the role of genetic factors on this association. METHODS:In this longitudinal cross-lagged twin difference study, we examined 166 (83 pairs) middle-aged male twins recruited from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry, who were assessed at baseline and after 7?years of follow-up. We assayed plasma levels of two inflammatory biomarkers, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) and measured depressive symptoms using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI). To evaluate the direction of the association, we constructed multivariable mixed-effects regression models and calculated standardized beta-coefficients to compare the strength of the within-pair association for both pathways. We then conducted a stratified analysis by zygosity and assessed the associations in monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs separately. RESULTS:The 166 twins were 95% white and had a mean (SD) age of 54 (3) years at baseline. The cross-lagged analysis showed significant and positive associations from visit 1 IL-6 to visit 2 BDI across all models (beta-coefficients ranging from 0.18 to 0.22). However, the opposite pathway (visit 1 BDI to visit 2 IL-6) was not significant after adjusting for confounding factors. In contrast, visit 1 BDI was significantly associated with visit 2 CRP in all models (beta-coefficients ranging from 0.23 to 0.33), while the opposite pathway (visit 1 CRP to visit 2 BDI) showed no significant association. When stratifying by zygosity, significant associations from IL-6 to depression were only seen in monozygotic twins, but associations from depression to CRP were more robust in dizygotic twins, which implies that genetic factors may play a role in this association. CONCLUSIONS:The association between inflammation and depression may be bidirectional. Elevated IL-6 levels are more likely to be a risk factor of depression rather than a consequence, while the opposite may be true for elevated CRP. The biological underpinnings of these bidirectional pathways need further evaluation.

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A multivariate twin study of trait mindfulness, depressive symptoms, and anxiety sensitivity.

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A multivariate twin study of trait mindfulness, depressive symptoms, and anxiety sensitivity.

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