has been associated with lower cortisol-related mineralocorticoid receptor function and heightened HPA axis activity (22), we hypothesized that the val allele would be associated with elevated amygdala reactivity regardless of past emotional neglect history. Third, we predicted a genotype-by-emotional neglect interaction on threat-related amygdala reactivity wherein val carriers would have heightened amygdala reactivity to threat regardless of emotional neglect history because of a constitutional profile mirroring that of individuals who have been emotionally neglected, while iso homozygotes would have elevated amygdala reactivity only in the context of a history of heightened childhood emotional neglect. Alternatively, we hypothesized that the val allele and childhood emotional neglect may compound one another such that val allele carriers would be characterized by extremely heightened amygdala reactivity in the context of previous childhood emotional neglect relative to iso homozygotes.
