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Role of CNR1 polymorphisms in moderating the effects of psychosocial adversity on impulsivity in adolescents

  • Psychiatry and Preclinical Psychiatric Studies - Original Article
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Abstract

Enhanced endocannabinoid signaling has been implicated in typically adolescent behavioral features such as increased risk-taking, impulsivity and novelty seeking. Research investigating the impact of genetic variants in the cannabinoid receptor 1 gene (CNR1) and of early rearing conditions has demonstrated that both factors contribute to the prediction of impulsivity-related phenotypes. The present study aimed to test the hypothesis of an interaction of the two most studied CNR1 polymorphisms rs806379 and rs1049353 with early psychosocial adversity in terms of affecting impulsivity in 15-year-olds from an epidemiological cohort sample followed since birth. In 323 adolescents (170 girls, 153 boys), problems of impulse control and novelty seeking were assessed using parent-report and self-report, respectively. Exposure to early psychosocial adversity was determined in a parent interview conducted at the age of 3 months. The results indicated that impulsivity increased following exposure to early psychosocial adversity, with this increase being dependent on CNR1 genotype. In contrast, while individuals exposed to early adversity scored higher on novelty seeking, no significant impact of genotype or the interaction thereof was detected. This is the first evidence to suggest that the interaction of CNR1 gene variants with the experience of early life adversity may play a role in determining adolescent impulsive behavior. However, given that the reported findings are obtained in a high-risk community sample, results are restricted in terms of interpretation and generalization. Future research is needed to replicate these findings and to identify the mediating mechanisms underlying this effect.

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Acknowledgments

We thank E. Reichert and S. Heinzel who assisted with the data acquisition. This study was supported by grants from the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Federal Ministry for Education and Research as part of the `Baden-Wuerttemberg Consortium for Addiction Research´ and the ‘National Genome Research Network’.

Conflict of interest

Tobias Banaschewski, Ph.D., M.D. served in an advisory or consultancy role for Hexal Pharma, Lilly, Medice, Novartis, Otsuka, Oxford outcomes, PCM scientific, Shire and Viforpharma. He received conference attendance support and conference support or received speaker’s fee by Lilly, Medice, Novartis and Shire. He is/has been involved in clinical trials conducted by Lilly, Shire and Viforpharma. The present work is unrelated to the above grants and relationships. All other authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany

    Arlette F. Buchmann, Erika Hohm, Dorothea Blomeyer, Martin H. Schmidt, Tobias Banaschewski, Daniel Brandeis & Manfred Laucht

  2. Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany

    Stephanie H. Witt

  3. Department of Biostatistics, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany

    Christine Jennen-Steinmetz

  4. Department of Psychology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24/25, 14476, Potsdam, Germany

    Günter Esser & Manfred Laucht

  5. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Center for Integrative Human Physiology, Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, Neumünsterallee 9, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland

    Daniel Brandeis

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  1. Arlette F. Buchmann
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Correspondence to Manfred Laucht.

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Buchmann, A.F., Hohm, E., Witt, S.H. et al. Role of CNR1 polymorphisms in moderating the effects of psychosocial adversity on impulsivity in adolescents. J Neural Transm 122, 455–463 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-014-1266-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-014-1266-3

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