@article{BuchmannBlomeyerJennenSteinmetzetal.2013, author = {Buchmann, Arlette F. and Blomeyer, Dorothea and Jennen-Steinmetz, Christine and Schmidt, Martin H. and Esser, G{\"u}nter and Banaschewski, Tobias and Laucht, Manfred}, title = {Early smoking onset may promise initial pleasurable sensations and later addiction}, series = {Addiction biology}, volume = {18}, journal = {Addiction biology}, number = {6}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {1369-1600}, doi = {10.1111/j.1369-1600.2011.00377.x}, pages = {947 -- 954}, year = {2013}, abstract = {There is converging evidence suggesting a particular susceptibility to the addictive properties of nicotine among adolescents. The aim of the current study was to prospectively ascertain the relationship between age at first cigarette and initial smoking experiences, and to examine the combined effects of these characteristics of adolescent smoking behavior on adult smoking. It was hypothesized that the association between earlier age at first cigarette and later development of nicotine dependence may, at least in part, be attributable to differences in experiencing pleasurable early smoking sensations. Data were drawn from the participants of the Mannheim Study of Children at Risk, an ongoing epidemiological cohort study from birth to adulthood. Structured interviews at age 15, 19 and 22 years were conducted to assess the age at first cigarette, early smoking experiences and current smoking behavior in 213 young adults. In addition, the participants completed the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence. Adolescents who smoked their first cigarette at an earlier age reported more pleasurable sensations from the cigarette, and they were more likely to be regular smokers at age 22. The age at first cigarette also predicted the number of cigarettes smoked and dependence at age 22. Thus, both the age of first cigarette and the pleasure experienced from the cigarette independently predicted aspects of smoking at age 22.}, language = {en} } @article{LauchtTreutleinBlomeyeretal.2013, author = {Laucht, Manfred and Treutlein, Jens and Blomeyer, Dorothea and Buchmann, Arlette F. and Schmidt, Martin H. and Esser, G{\"u}nter and Jennen-Steinmetz, Christine and Rietschel, Marcella and Banaschewski, Tobias}, title = {Interactive effects of corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 gene and childhood adversity on depressive symptoms in young adults findings from a longitudinal study}, series = {European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology}, volume = {23}, journal = {European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology}, number = {5}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0924-977X}, doi = {10.1016/j.euroneuro.2012.06.002}, pages = {358 -- 367}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Accumulating research suggests a moderating role for the corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 gene (CRHR1) in the association between childhood adversity and adult depression. The present study aims to replicate recent findings using different genetic variants and measures of early adversity assessed both prospectively and retrospectively. Data were collected in the context of an ongoing epidemiological cohort study following the outcome of early risk factors from birth into adulthood. 300 participants (137 males, 163 females) were genotyped for four CRHR1 SNPs (rs7209436, rs110402, rs242924, and rs17689882) and completed the Beck Depression Inventory at ages 19, 22 and 23 years. Childhood adversity was assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and by a standardized parent interview yielding an index of family adversity. Our results indicate that CRHR1 and childhood adversity interacted to predict depressive symptoms in young adults. Specifically, we found that the impact of childhood maltreatment on adult depressive symptoms was significantly higher in individuals (i) with two copies of the CRHR1 TAT haplotype, and (ii) homozygous for the G allele of rs17689882. The interaction was demonstrated for exposure to childhood maltreatment as assessed by retrospective self-report, but not to prospectively ascertain objective family adversity. The present study partially replicates recent findings of a CRHR1 by childhood adversity interaction with regard to adult depression highlighting the subjective characteristics of the environmental pathogen that is operative in this interaction.}, language = {en} }