Lucht et al. (2009) found different patterns of association between the OXTR rs2254298 genotypes and loneliness in adolescents than in adults, suggesting that that the relation between loneliness and this polymorphism may change over the life course. The present results add to previous findings that being an AG carrier for OXTR rs2254298 is associated with negative outcomes in adolescents. These possible developmental differences represent one explanation for the discrepancies between our results and Costa et al.'s (2009) finding of high levels of depression and anxiety among the OXTR rs2254298 GG adults. Further, it is important to note that whereas the adults in Costa et al.'s study had current MDD, none of the girls in the present investigation had experienced an Axis-I disorder.
