In recent years there have been major advances in quantitative and molecular genetics. The overwhelming conclusion that has been reached in quantitative genetics is that genetic factors are important for most measures of adjustment. More surprisingly, genetic factors also have substantial influence on measures of family processes. Advances in genotyping, the identification of candidate genes, and the use of association strategies in molecular genetics have allowed for the investigation of associations between genes and continuously distributed characteristics, like adjustment. The proposed three-year project seeks to combine these advances to use candidate gene association to examine adolescent adjustment. In addition, this research will extend this strategy to explore the role of family processes in both moderating and mediating gene expression during adolescence. Genetic material (cheek scrapings) will be collected from two siblings (ages 10 to 18 at time 1) and both parents from the sample of 720 families who participated in the Nonshared Environment in Adolescent Development Project (NEAD). NEAD is a NIMH-sponsored project (MH-43373 and MH-48825), assessed twice, three years apart, focused on understanding adolescent adjustment and the role of genetic factors and family processes in shaping adjustment. This is the only quantitative genetic study that has intensively measured family processes, including observational assessments. The collection of genetic material from this sample will enable the examination of (1) candidate gene associations with adolescent adjustment, (2) longitudinal associations of candidate genes and adjustment, (3) family processes as moderators of gene expression (genotype-environment interactions), and (4) family processes as mediators of gene expression (genotype-environment correlations). The inclusion of siblings and parents will allow the use of control group strategies that are not affected by population stratification. For example, candidate gene associations will be conducted for one member of the sibling pair and the other sibling is then used for replication. Because the NEAD is a quantitative genetic sample, heritabilities can be computed to identify the most likely possibilities for association with candidate genes (i.e., those measures with the largest heritabilities are the best starting points). In addition, NEAD employed careful measurement of phenotypes, through the use of multi-measure, multi-agent assessment. This proposal, using the most recent advances in quantitative genetics and the most recent advances in molecular genetics has great potential for informing the question of how genes influence development.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MH059014-03
Application #
6392577
Study Section
Child/Adolescent Risk and Prevention Review Committee (CAPR)
Program Officer
Farmer, Mary E
Project Start
1999-07-01
Project End
2003-06-30
Budget Start
2001-07-01
Budget End
2003-06-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$105,252
Indirect Cost
Name
George Washington University
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
City
Washington
State
DC
Country
United States
Zip Code
20052
Marceau, Kristine; Knopik, Valerie S; Neiderhiser, Jenae M et al. (2016) Adolescent age moderates genetic and environmental influences on parent-adolescent positivity and negativity: Implications for genotype-environment correlation. Dev Psychopathol 28:149-66
Neiderhiser, Jenae M; Marceau, Kristine; Reiss, David (2013) Four factors for the initiation of substance use by young adulthood: a 10-year follow-up twin and sibling study of marital conflict, monitoring, siblings, and peers. Dev Psychopathol 25:133-49
Ulbricht, Jennifer A; Ganiban, Jody M; Button, Tanya M M et al. (2013) Marital adjustment as a moderator for genetic and environmental influences on parenting. J Fam Psychol 27:42-52
Marceau, Kristine; Humbad, Mikhila N; Burt, S Alexandra et al. (2012) Observed externalizing behavior: a developmental comparison of genetic and environmental influences across three samples. Behav Genet 42:30-9
Horwitz, Briana N; Ganiban, Jody M; Spotts, Erica L et al. (2011) The role of aggressive personality and family relationships in explaining family conflict. J Fam Psychol 25:174-83
Natsuaki, Misaki N; Ge, Xiaojia; Reiss, David et al. (2009) Aggressive behavior between siblings and the development of externalizing problems: evidence from a genetically sensitive study. Dev Psychol 45:1009-18
Burt, S Alexandra; Neiderhiser, Jenae M (2009) Aggressive versus nonaggressive antisocial behavior: distinctive etiological moderation by age. Dev Psychol 45:1164-76
Yuh, Jongil; Neiderhiser, Jenae M; Lichtenstein, Paul et al. (2009) Temperament and character associated with depressive symptoms in women: analysis of two genetically informative samples. J Clin Psychol 65:906-24
Harakeh, Zeena; Neiderhiser, Jenae M; Spotts, Erica L et al. (2008) Genetic factors contribute to the association between peers and young adults smoking: univariate and multivariate behavioral genetic analyses. Addict Behav 33:1113-22
Dimas, Christos; Reiss, David; Neiderhiser, Jenae (2008) Summaries of the Sixth Annual Poster Session of the American Psychoanalytic Association: part I. Triangular relationships in adolescence predict adult psychopathology: an empirical validation of the Oedipus complex? J Am Psychoanal Assoc 56:1342-8

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