Think of the short allele as a "vulnerability gene." Those with the long allele, by contrast, may be regarded as the proud owners of a "resilience gene."
To further clarify the resilience factor, the depression rates for those with the long allele did not vary, regardless of whether they had experienced zero recent stressful events or four or more. Those with the short allele, by contrast, only experienced this same low depression rate as the long allele group when not exposed to any major stress, period.
How significant were both these findings? In 2003, Science Magazine cited the Hariri and Caspi studies - along with related findings - as the second-biggest scientific breakthrough of the year. The big bang took first place. As Science Magazine: explained:
"Together, these studies suggest that the gene variant biases people to perceive the world as highly menacing, which amplifies life stresses to the point of inducing depression."
Or, as Dr Weinberger explained at a 2006 APA meeting, this particular gene "impacts on how threatening the environment feels.”
Studies that have since built upon these findings implicate the 5HTT gene variation and other gene variations in a host of stress-related mental illnesses and behaviors, ranging from mania to alcohol use to antisocial behavior.
In other words, for many of us, our vulnerability to stress may be our main illness. What comes out at the symptom end – be it anxiety, depression, mania, substance use, or personality issues – may be the downstream effects. This is why managing our stress at its source is critical.
Wrap Up
We may have a genetic vulnerability that affects our biology. But it is not a case of nature vs. nurture. As these studies amply demonstrate, we are talking about nature via nurture. Our biology is all about how we react to whatever life throws our way. Yes, we may be more vulnerable than others, but we are not helpless, either. Future articles in this series will further explore what is going on in the brain, which sets the scene for how we can best manage stress.
Stay tuned ...
