Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors Associated With Trajectories of Depression Symptoms From Adolescence to Young Adulthood

Key Points

Question

Are genetic and environmental risk factors associated with different trajectories of depression symptoms during adolescence and young adulthood?

Findings

In a cohort study of 3525 individuals observed from ages 10 to 24 years, both genetic and environmental risk factors were associated with childhood-persistent and early-adult–onset trajectories of depression symptoms, while adolescent-limited and childhood-limited trajectories were not associated with genetic risk factors.

Meaning

Differential patterns of timing and the nature of genetic and environmental risk factors were associated with different trajectory groups for depression symptoms, which could help to guide the timing and focus of prevention strategies.

Abstract

This cohort study examines the differential associations of genetic and environmental risk factors with trajectories of depression symptoms among individuals observed from ages 10 to 24 years in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC).

Abstract

Importance

Less favorable trajectories of depressive mood from adolescence to early adulthood are associated with current and later psychopathology, impaired educational attainment, and social dysfunction, yet the genetic and environmental risk factors associated with these trajectories are not fully established. Examining what risk factors are associated with different trajectories of depressive mood could help identify the nature of depression symptoms and improve preventive interventions for those at most risk.

Objective

To examine the differential associations of genetic and environmental risk factors with trajectories of depression symptoms among individuals observed from ages 10 to 24 years.

Design, Setting, and Participants

In a longitudinal cohort study established in 1990 and currently ongoing (the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children [ALSPAC]), growth mixture modeling was used to identify trajectories of depression symptoms in 9394 individuals in the United Kingdom. Associations of different risk factors with these trajectories were then examined. Analysis was conducted between August 2018 and January 2019.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Trajectories were composed from depression symptoms measured using the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire at 9 occasions from ages 10 to 24 years. Risk factors included sex, a polygenic risk score taken from a recent genome-wide association study of depression symptoms, maternal postnatal depression, partner cruelty to the offspring’s mother when the child was aged 2 to 4 years, childhood anxiety at age 8 years, and being bullied at age 10 years.

Results

Data on all risk factors, confounders, and the outcome were available for 3525 individuals, including 1771 (50.2%) who were female. Trajectories were assessed between the mean (SD) age of 10.7 (0.3) years and mean (SD) age of 23.8 (0.5) years. Overall, 5 distinct trajectories of depression symptoms were identified: (1) stable low (2506 individuals [71.1%]), (2) adolescent limited (325 individuals [9.2%]), (3) childhood limited (203 individuals [5.8%]), (4) early-adult onset (393 individuals [11.1%]), and (5) childhood persistent (98 individuals [2.8%]). Of all the associations of risk factors with trajectories, sex (odds ratio [OR], 6.45; 95% CI, 2.89-14.38), the polygenic risk score for depression symptoms (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.10-1.96), and childhood anxiety (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.16-1.45) showed the strongest association with the childhood-persistent trajectory of depression symptoms compared with the stable-low trajectory. Maternal postnatal depression (OR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.41-4.07) had the strongest association with the early-adult–onset trajectory, while partner cruelty to mother (OR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.36-3.90) had the strongest association with the adolescent-limited trajectory. Bullying (OR, 8.08; 95% CI, 4.92-13.26) showed the strongest association with the childhood-limited trajectory.

Conclusions and Relevance

The least favorable trajectories of depression symptoms (childhood persistent and early-adult onset) were associated with both genetic and environmental risk factors, but the 2 trajectories of limited duration that had resolved by early adulthood (childhood limited and adolescent limited) were not associated with the polygenic risk score or maternal postnatal depression. Bullying was strongly associated with both the childhood-persistent and childhood-limited trajectories, suggesting that this risk factor may have a time-specific effect. These findings suggest that examining genetic and multiple time-specific environmental antecedents could help identify trajectories of varying onset and chronicity.