Chunk #30 — Discussion — Selective effects of recent life events related to financial difficulties in interaction with the 5-HTTLPR genotype in the development of depressive symptoms
Financial problems and difficulties may encompass several effects related to economic and financial as well as social difficulties threatening the general safety and well-being of the individual and those dependent upon them. They may also be associated with partly gender-dependent role losses or injuries related to being the provider for the family, which may similarly contribute to excessive stress. Further possible mediating mechanisms may be that by their pervasive impact financial difficulties may contribute to such stresses as prolonged existential insecurity and feelings of loss of control. Recently, financial hardship in interaction with neural nitric oxide synthase polymorphisms was found to be related to depression,37 indicating a possibly specific role of these types of life events in the vulnerability or susceptibility for depression modulated by genetic polymorphisms. The majority of financial problem-related life events also include an immediacy of threat not captured in social network- or illness-related life events, which may also account for their closer interaction with 5-HTTLLPR found to be related to threat sensitivity and threat reactivity.27, 28 Further supporting the pervasive impact of severe financial hardships, recently
