Childhood abuse, genes and depression

Childhood abuse and early life stress are among the strongest contributors to adult depression. However, a U.S. study of 470 people has found that those people who suffered from adverse childhoods but who carry a gene called corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor one (CRHR1) had markedly lower measures of depression, compared with people with less protective forms of the gene. The study supports previous evidence that corticotropin-releasing hormone and related hormones play a role in depression.

You can find out more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/02/06/gene-protects-from-depression-after-childhood-abuse/1880.html