TY - JOUR A1 - Schmid, Brigitte A1 - Hohm, Erika A1 - Blomeyer, Dorothea A1 - Zimmermann, Ulrich S. A1 - Schmidt, Martin H. A1 - Esser, Günter A1 - Laucht, Manfred T1 - Concurrent alcohol and tobacco use during early adolescence characterizes a group at risk N2 - Aims: To investigate whether concurrent alcohol and tobacco use during early adolescence characterizes a subgroup that differs from users of one substance only regarding several risk factors for later substance use problems. Methods: Participants were from a prospective longitudinal cohort study of 384 children at risk for later psychopathology, with the majority being born with obstetric complications and psychosocial adversities. Assessments of adolescent drug consumption and related intrapersonal characteristics were obtained at age 15. Results: Compared to consumers of alcohol only, 15-year-olds drinking and smoking during the same time period (past 4 weeks) had significantly higher levels of consumption and more excessive use of alcohol, started drinking at an earlier age, had higher scores on the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, and more cannabis use. This group could be distinguished from users of alcohol only by higher novelty seeking and more positive alcohol effect expectancies. Compared to consumers of tobacco only, concurrent users reported higher nicotine dependence and more cannabis use. No significant differences were observed regarding frequency and age at initiation of tobacco use, tobacco-related sensitivity, self- efficacy and instrumentality as well as novelty seeking. Conclusions: Concurrent alcohol and tobacco use during early adolescence is associated with characteristics that are well known as risk factors for later alcohol use problems and dependence and that should be targeted by prevention programs. Y1 - 2007 UR - http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/ U6 - https://doi.org/10.1093/alcalc/agm024 SN - 0735-0414 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Pitzer, Martina A1 - Esser, Günter A1 - Schmidt, Martin H. A1 - Laucht, Manfred T1 - Temperament in the developmental course : a longitudinal comparison of New York Longitudinal Study-derived dimensions with the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory N2 - Objective: Despite theoretical discrepancies between different concepts of temperament, some core dimensions are thought to be common to the various models. We compared temperamental traits derived from the New York Longitudinal Study (NYLS) model and the Cloninger dimensions in the developmental course and investigated the associations of temperament with sex as well as with obstetric risks or psychosocial risks present at birth. - Methods: Participants were 151 boys and 157 girls born at differing degrees of obstetric and psychosocial risk from a longitudinal study on a high-risk community sample. In infancy and childhood, NYLS-derived temperamental characteristics were assessed by a highly structured parent interview and standardized behavioral observations. At age 15 years, the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory/1218 was administered. - Results: Moderate correlations were found between Junior Temperament and Character Inventory scales in adolescence and NYLS-derived factors in childhood. The psychosocial risk load seemed to influence the expression of novelty seeking or corresponding NYLS-derived factors, whereas the obstetric risks did not contribute to variation in temperament. Our findings further support highly sex-specific gene x environment interactions on temperament in the developmental course. - Conclusion: The content of our NYLS-derived factors and the specific type of association across different temperament constructs fit into the increasing consensus regarding a small number of higher-order temperamental traits. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Y1 - 2007 UR - http://www.researchgate.net/researcher/38774039_Martina_Pitzer U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2007.05.007 SN - 0010-440X ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Laucht, Manfred A1 - Skowronek, Markus H. A1 - Becker, Katja A1 - Schmidt, Martin H. A1 - Esser, Günter A1 - Rietschel, Marcella A1 - Schulze, Thomas G. T1 - Interacting effects of the dopamine transporter gene and psychosocial adversity on attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder symptoms among 15-year-olds from high-risk community sample N2 - Context: Recent evidence suggests that gene X environment interactions could explain the inconsistent findings of association studies relating the dopamine transporter (DAT1) gene with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). 1bjective: To examine whether psychosocial adversity moderated the effect of genetic variation in DAT1 on ADHD symptoms in. adolescents from a high-risk community sample. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Data were taken from the Mannheim Study of Children at Risk, an ongoing longitudinal study of the long-term outcomes of early risk factors followed up from birth on. Participants: Three hundred five adolescents (146 boys, 159 girls) participated in a follow-up assessment at age 15 years. Main Outcome Measures: Measures of ADHD symptoms according to DSM-IV were obtained using standardized structural interviews with adolescents and their parents. Psychosocial adversity was determined according to an "enriched" family adversity index as proposed by Rutter and Quinton. DNA was genotyped for the common DAT1 40-base pair (bp) variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism in the 3' untranslated region; 3 previously described single nucleotide polymorphisms in exon 15, intron 9, and exon 9; and a novel 30-bp VNTR polymorphism in intron 8. Results: Adolescents homozygous for the 10-repeat allele of the 40-bp VNTR polymorphism who grew up in greater psychosocial adversity exhibited significantly more inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity than adolescents with other genotypes or who lived in less adverse family conditions (significant interaction, P=.013-017). This gene X environment interaction was also observed in individuals homozygous for the 6-repeat allele of the 30-bp VNTR polymorphism and the haplotype comprising both markers. Conclusions: These findings provide initial evidence that environmental risks as described by the Rutter Family Adversity Index moderate the impact of the DAT1 gene on ADHD symptoms, suggesting a DAT1 effect only in those individuals exposed to psychosocial adversity. Y1 - 2007 UR - http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/ SN - 0003-990X ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Blomeyer, Dorothea A1 - Treutlein, Jens A1 - Esser, Günter A1 - Schmidt, Martin H. A1 - Schumann, Gunter A1 - Laucht, Manfred T1 - Interaction between CRHR1 gene and stressful life events predicts adolescent heavy alcohol use N2 - Background: Recent animal research suggests that alterations in the corticotropin releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRHR1) may lead to heavy alcohol use following repeated stress. The aim of this study was to examine interactions between two haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) covering the CRHR1 gene and adverse life events on heavy drinking in adolescents. Methods: Data were available from the Mannheim Study of Children at Risk, an ongoing cohort study of the long-term outcome of early risk factors followed since birth. At age 15 years, 280 participants (135 males, 145 females) completed a self-report questionnaire measuring alcohol use and were genotyped for two SNPs (rs242938, rs1876831) of CRHR1. Assessment of negative life events over the past three years was obtained by a standardized interview with the parents. Results: Adolescents homozygous for the C allele of rs1876831 drank higher maximum amounts of alcohol per occasion and had greater lifetime rates of heavy drinking in relation to negative life events than individuals carrying the T allele. No gene X environment interactions were found for regular drinking and between rs242938 and stressful life events. Conclusions: These findings provide first evidence in humans that the CRHR1 gene interacts with exposure to stressful life events to predict heavy alcohol use in adolescents. Y1 - 2007 SN - 0006-3223 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Laucht, Michael A1 - Schmidt, Martin H. A1 - Esser, Günter T1 - Problems of behavioral and emotional regulation in early infancy : precursors of psychiatric disorders in later childhood? Y1 - 2007 SN - 978-1-934019-17-7 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Laucht, Manfred A1 - Hohm, E. A1 - Esser, Günter A1 - Schmidt, Martin H. A1 - Becker, Katja T1 - Association between ADHD and smoking in adolescence : shared genetic, environmental and psychopathological factors N2 - The present study aimed to examine the extent to which the co-occurrence of ADHD and smoking in adolescents could be attributed to common genetic, environmental and psychopathological factors. Data are from an ongoing prospective study of the outcome of early risk factors. At age 15 years, 305 adolescents completed self-report questionnaires measuring tobacco consumption and deviant peer affiliations. Lifetime psychiatric diagnoses were obtained using standardized interviews. DNA was genotyped for the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) gene exon III polymorphism. Adolescents with a lifetime diagnosis of ADHD displayed significantly higher smoking activity than non-ADHD controls. A major component of this association could be accounted for by deviant peer affiliations and the comorbidity with oppositional-defiant and conduct disorder, while a minor part was attributable to DRD4 in males but not in females. These findings suggest that the association of ADHD with smoking relies on risk factors shared by the two behaviors. Y1 - 2007 UR - http://www.springerlink.com/content/101493 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-007-0703-y SN - 0300-9564 ER -