In our study we detected a robust significant interaction effect between the 5-HTTLPR genotype and recent life events specifically and selectively related to financial difficulties (RLE-financial) in a combined sample from Manchester and Budapest. The interaction could be replicated both in the Budapest and Manchester samples when investigated separately. We also demonstrated a less marked interaction between life events related to illnesses and injury (RLE-illness) and 5-HTTLPR genotype, which was only observable in the combined sample according to the additive and dominant models. Two other types of life events (those related to intimate relationships and those related to social network problems) showed no interaction effect with the 5-HTTLPR genotype on the emergence of depressive symptomatology in the combined sample or any of the two subsamples. Our results, therefore, indicate a specific and selective effect for certain types of recent life events, namely those associated with financial difficulties, and less robustly illness/injury, in interaction with the 5-HTTLPR genotype to influence the emergence of depressive symptomatology. The findings corroborate earlier findings concerning the role of the 5-HTTLPR genotype in depression in modulating
