Genetics of environmental sensitivity and its association with variations in emotional problems, autistic traits, and wellbeing.

Greater environmental sensitivity has been associated with increased risk of mental health problems, especially in response to stressors, and lower levels of subjective wellbeing. Conversely, sensitivity also correlates with lower risk of emotional problems in the absence of adversity, and in response to positive environmental influences. Additionally, sensitivity has been found to correlate positively with autistic traits.

Twins Early Development Study (TEDS): A genetically sensitive investigation of mental health outcomes in the mid-twenties.

The Twins Early Development Study (TEDS) is a longitudinal study following a cohort of twins born 1994-1996 in England and Wales. Of the 13,759 families who originally consented to take part, over 10,000 families remain enrolled in the study. The current focus of TEDS is on mental health in the mid-twenties.

A cross-lagged twin study of emotional symptoms, social isolation and peer victimisation from early adolescence to emerging adulthood.

Background: Emotional symptoms, such as anxiety and depressive symptoms, are common during adolescence, often persist over time, and can precede the emergence of severe anxiety and depressive disorders. Studies suggest that a vicious cycle of reciprocal influences between emotional symptoms and interpersonal difficulties may explain why some adolescents suffer from persisting emotional symptoms. However, the role of different types of interpersonal difficulties, such as social isolation and peer victimisation, in these reciprocal associations is still unclear.

A multivariate genetic analysis of anxiety sensitivity, environmental sensitivity and reported life events in adolescents.

Background: Despite being considered a measure of environmental risk, reported life events are partly heritable. One mechanism that may contribute to this heritability is genetic influences on sensitivity, relating to how individuals process and interpret internal and external signals. The aim of this study was to explore the genetic and environmental overlap between self-reported life events and measures of sensitivity.