N Jacobs

FADS2 Genetic Variance in Combination with Fatty Acid Intake Might Alter Composition of the Fatty Acids in Brain

Multiple lines of evidence suggest that fatty acids (FA) play an important role in cognitive function. However, little is known about the functional genetic pathways involved in cognition. The main goals of this study were to replicate previously reported interaction effects between breast feeding (BF) and FA desaturase (FADS) genetic variation on IQ and to investigate the possible mechanisms by which these variants might moderate BF effect, focusing on brain expression. Using a sample of 534 twins, we observed a trend in the moderation of BF effects on IQ by FADS2 variation. In addition, we made use of publicly available gene expression databases from both humans (193) and mice (93) and showed that FADS2 variants also correlate with FADS1 brain expression (P-value<1.1E-03). Our results provide novel clues for the understanding of the genetic mechanisms regulating FA brain expression and improve the current knowledge of the FADS moderation effect on cognition.

Child psychopathology and lower cognitive ability: a general population twin study of the causes of association

Previous work has demonstrated associations between lower cognitive ability and childhood and adult non-psychotic psychopathology. As both cognitive ability (CA) and child psychopathology (CP) are influenced by genetic factors, one explanation for the association is that they are the pleiotropic manifestations of the same underlying genetic factors. The present paper examines three possible causes of the association: additive genetic factors, common environmental factors and individual-specific environmental factors. Three hundred and seventy-six twin pairs from the East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey were examined with the Child Behaviour Checklist and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised. The cross-twin within-variable, within-twin cross-variable and cross-twin cross-variable correlations were calculated. Using structural equation modelling, bivariate models were fitted. The best fitting model was chosen, based on likelihood and parsimony. The observed phenotypic correlation between CP and CA was −0.19 (95% CI: −0.09, −0.27), with genetic factors accounting for about 84% of the observed correlation. Bivariate model fitting quantified the genetic correlation between CP and CA at −0.27 (95% CI: −0.12, −0.42) and the individual-specific environmental correlation at −0.17 (95% CI: −0.03, −0.31). In children, three different genetic factors may exist: one that solely affects the liability to CP, one that has only an effect on CA and one that influences both CP and CA. While individual-specific environmental factors can influence the liability to both traits, our results suggest that most of the environmental factors that increase the risk of CP do not influence CA and vice versa.

Measuring Gratitude: A Comparative Validation of the Dutch Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ6) and Short Gratitude, Resentment, and Appreciation Test (SGRAT)

The aim of this article was to validate and compare the Dutch translations of the Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ6) and the Short Gratitude, Resentment, and Appreciation Test (SGRAT) in an adult general population sample. In an online survey, 706 respondents (Mage = 44, SDage = 14) completed Dutch versions of the GQ6, the SGRAT, the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) and the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). At six week follow-up, 440 (62%) of them (Mage = 46, SDage = 14) again completed the GQ6-NL and SGRAT-NL. Parallel analyses, exploratory factor analyses and confirmatory factor analyses revealed and confirmed one factor for the GQ6-NL, and three factors for the SGRAT-NL. Internal consistency indices of the GQ6-NL and of the SGRAT-NL were satisfactory. Both questionnaires demonstrated good test-retest reliability. Regression analyses showed, for the total scores on both gratitude questionnaires, positive associations with the SWLS and the Positive Affect Scale, and negative associations with the Negative Affect Scale. The results support the validity of the Dutch GQ6 and SGRAT. These questionnaires can be used to conduct further research of the grateful disposition in Dutch speaking individuals and groups.

Affect and between-meal snacking in daily life: the moderating role of gender and age

Objective: Affect-related energy intake from snacks remains relatively unexplored in daily life. This study examines the associations between momentary positive affect (PA) and momentary negative affect (NA) and subsequent energy intake from snacks. In addition, the moderating role of BMI, gender, age and level of education is investigated. Design: Adults (N = 269), aged 20–50, participated in this study. Demographics were assessed in an online composite questionnaire. An experience sampling smartphone application was used to map momentary NA/PA and energy intake (kilocalories) from snacks in the context of daily life. Main outcome measures: Energy intake from moment-to-moment self-reported snacks in real-life settings. Results: A significant negative main effect of momentary NA on moment-to-moment energy intake was found. The higher the momentary NA, the lower the subsequent amount of kilocalories consumed. There was no main effect with regard to PA. Interaction analyses showed that men decreased their energy intake after experiencing NA, and increased their intake after experiencing PA. No associations were found in women. Additionally, young adults (20–30) increased their energy intake after experiencing PA. No associations were found in the other age groups. Conclusion: Interventions aiming at reducing energy intake might also address PA-related snacking in young adults and men.

Meeting risk with resilience: high daily life reward experience preserves mental health: Meeting risk with resilience

Geschwind N, Peeters F, Jacobs N, Delespaul P, Derom C, Thiery E, van Os J, Wichers M. Meeting risk with resilience: high daily life reward experience preserves mental health.

O4.4. DOES POLYGENIC RISK SCORE FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA MODERATE THE MOMENTARY AFFECTIVE AND PSYCHOTIC REACTIONS TO DAILY-LIFE STRESSORS?

Abstract Background Studies using the event sampling method (ESM), a structured diary technique measuring subjective experiences and emotional fluctuations in daily life, have consistently shown that individuals reporting psychotic experiences display a heightened emotional reactivity to minor stressors—a neuropsychological mechanism that likely contributes to the development and perpetuation of psychotic experiences. Except a few undersized non-replicated candidate-gene studies showing an association between genetic variations and elevated momentary stress reactivity, genetic underpinnings of emotion reactivity to momentary stressors have not been investigated. Therefore, by leveraging a large general population twin dataset of ESM, we aimed to investigate—for the first time—whether the polygenic risk score (PRS) for schizophrenia moderates stress reactivity (psychotic experiences (PE) and negative affect (NA) in response to momentary stress). Methods Data were derived from a general population adolescent and young adult twin sample. The total sample included 638 participants (Monozygotic = 202, Dizygotic = 436). ESM variables were randomly measured at 10 times/day over 6 consecutive days. For the main analyses, we assessed ESM information on PE (suspiciousness, loss of control, racing thoughts, pervasive thoughts, difficulties to express thoughts), NA (feeling lonely, anxious, listless, down, guilty), and event-related stress (pleasantness of the most important event since last entry); and for additional explorative analyses we assessed social stress (participants were asked with whom they are (e.g. nobody or family) and to rate the pleasantness of the social situation). PRS were trained on the results from the Psychiatric Genetics Consortium-2 SZ. Multilevel regression analyses, taking into account of multiple observations nested within twins who were clustered within family, were used to analyze the moderating effects of PRS (at p-value < 0.05) on the relationship between momentary stress and NA or PE. All analyses were adjusted for age, sex and 2 principle components. Results There were significant main effects of momentary stress (event stress: b = 0.065, p < 0.001, 95% CI = 0.048, 0.082; social stress: b = 0.128; p < 0.001; 95% CI = 0.111, 0.145) on PE. However, neither the main effects of PRS on PE nor the interaction between PRS and momentary stress on PE were significant. The analysis with NA as dependent variable indicated main effects of momentary stress (event stress: b = 0.096; p <0.001; 95% CI = 0.081, 0.111; social stress: b = 0.180; p < 0.001; 95% CI = 0.164, 0.197), but no main effect of PRS. There was a significant negative interaction between PRS and both event-related stress (b = -0.016; p = 0.024; 95% CI = -0.031, -0.002) and social stress (b = -0.017; p = 0.024; 95% CI = -0.031, -0.002) on NA. Discussion This is the first study investigating the influence of molecular genetic risk for schizophrenia on momentary stress reactivity, measured using an ecologically valid diary method. These results suggest that PRS for schizophrenia does not have an effect on psychotic stress responses, while increased genetic risk for schizophrenia showed a buffering effect on the association between momentary stress and NA. It is possible that individuals with high PRS for schizophrenia might have emotional response deficits, a characteristic of the clinical phenotype. Alternatively, these individuals might have been less accurate in self-evaluating momentary stress, attributing high values to stressors that genuinely do not have an impact on their emotion regulation. Future studies, investigating both clinical and general populations, are required to elucidate the impact of PRS on stress reactivity.

Meeting risk with resilience

Geschwind N, Peeters F, Jacobs N, Delespaul P, Derom C, Thiery E, van Os J, Wichers M. Meeting risk with resilience: high daily life reward experience preserves mental health.