Measured Gene-Environment Interactions and Mechanisms Promoting Resilient Development

Childhood maltreatment elevates risk for antisocial behavior, depression, and other problems over the life span, but a subset of maltreated individuals avoids maladaptive development and shows resilience. Resilience reflects a dynamic confluence of factors that promotes positive adaptation despite exposure to adverse experiences. Recent replicated findings of gene-environment interactions (abbreviated G x E) involving maltreatment have identified two genes, monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) and serotonin transporter (5-HTT), that moderate the association between childhood maltreatment and psychopathology. Accordingly, G x E raise new questions about potential biological mechanisms by which some individuals are able to cope adaptively and function relatively well despite experiencing early adversity. We summarize advances toward greater specification of G x E mechanisms, including genetic and environmental moderation of G x E effects and imaging genomics that provide clues regarding resilience processes in development.