Can genes protect abused children from future emotional turmoil?
Have you ever wondered why some people are so much more resilient than others? Why some can bounce back from trauma, whereas others are doomed to a lifetime of depression and other mental angst? A new study indicates that genes may have something (read: a lot) to do with it. Researchers report in the Archives of General Psychiatry that children who are physically and emotionally abused but have the most protective variant of CRHR1, a gene that controls the body’s response to stress hormones, are less likely to suffer depression as adults. The finding could pave the way for new antidepression therapies, says lead study author Kerry Ressler, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University School of Medicine’s Center for Behavioral Neuroscience. “We know that childhood abuse and early-life stress are among the strongest contributors to adult depression, and this study again brings to light the importance of preventing them,” Ressler said. “But when these trag
