The Interplay of Variants Near LEKR and CCNL1 and Social Stress in Relation to Birth Size

Background We previously identified via a genome wide association study variants near LEKR and CCNL1 and in the ADCY5 genes lead to lower birthweight. Here, we study the impact of these variants and social stress during pregnancy, defined as social adversity and neighborhood disparity, on infant birth size. We aimed to determine whether the addition of genetic variance magnified the observed associations. Methodology/Principal Findings We analyzed data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (n = 5369). Social adversity was defined by young maternal age (<20 years), low maternal education (<11 years), and/or single marital status. Neighborhood social disparity was assessed by discrepancy between neighborhoods relative to personal socio-economic status. These variables are indicative of social and socioeconomic stress, but also of biological risk. The adjusted multiple regression analysis showed smaller birth size in both infants of mothers who experienced social adversity (birthweight by −40.4 g, 95%CI −61.4, −19.5; birth length −0.14 cm, 95%CI −0.23, −0.05; head circumference −0.09 cm 95%CI −0.15, −0.02) and neighborhood disparity (birthweight −28.8 g, 95%CI −47.7, −10.0; birth length −0.12 cm, 95%CI −0.20, −0.05). The birthweight-lowering risk allele (SNP rs900400 near LEKR and CCNL1) magnified this association in an additive manner. However, likely due to sample size restriction, this association was not significant for the SNP rs9883204 in ADCY5. Birth size difference due to social stress was greater in the presence of birthweight-lowering alleles. Conclusions/Significance Social adversity, neighborhood disparity, and genetic variants have independent associations with infant birth size in the mutually adjusted analyses. If the newborn carried a risk allele rs900400 near LEKR/CCNL1, the impact of stress on birth size was stronger. These observations give support to the hypothesis that individuals with genetic or other biological risk are more vulnerable to environmental influences. Our study indicates the need for further research to understand the mechanisms by which genes impact individual vulnerability to environmental insults

Disgust sensitivity as a mediator of the sex differences in contamination fears

Previous research has shown a relationship between disgust sensitivity and OCD-related contamination fear. Review of these findings suggests that females generally report higher levels of contamination fear and disgust sensitivity than males. Using a mediational model, the present study sought to determine if the sex difference in contamination fears could be accounted for by the sex difference in disgust sensitivity in a sample of undergraduate participants (N = 259). Strong support for this hypothesis was found. Moreover, holding constant the influences of potential confounds such as trait anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, and biological sex, disgust sensitivity emerged as a potent, independent predictor of contamination fears. The clinical and research implications regarding the relationship between biological sex and the fear of contamination and how they might be related to disgust sensitivity and anxiety symptoms are discussed. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Disgust domains in the prediction of contamination fear.

Previous research has shown a relationship between the emotion of disgust and the fear of contamination. Heightened sensitivity to disgust and increased concerns over contamination has been observed in various disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and specific phobias. However, there is a paucity of research identifying the specific domains of disgust that contribute to contamination fear. The present study soughts to determine which domains of disgust elicitors reliably predict scores on a measure of OCD contamination obsessions and washing compulsions. We further conducted exploratory analyses that examined differences in disgust sensitivity among individuals classified as high and low in contamination fear. Three hundred and twenty-three undergraduate participants completed two measures of disgust sensitivity (Disgust Scale; Disgust Emotion Scale) and a measure of contamination fear (Padua inventory, contamination obsessions and washing compulsions subscale). Stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated that contamination fear was best predicted by seven different disgust domains, thereby suggesting that contamination fear is accounted for by generalized, rather than domain-specific, disgust elicitors. The categories of disgust that predicted contamination fear appeared to have an underlying commonality of threat of contagion. The relationship between fear of contamination and disgust sensitivity was more pronounced for animal reminder disgust elicitors as opposed to core disgust elicitors. Results also showed that individuals classified as high in contamination fear scored significantly higher than the low contamination fear group on all disgust domains. Clinical and research implications regarding the interrelationships between fear, disgust, and the fear of contamination are discussed. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

The structural relation between disgust sensitivity and blood-injection-injury fears: A cross-cultural comparison of US and Dutch data

A growing body of literature has implicated the role of disgust sensitivity in blood-injection-injury (BII) phobia. The present study sought to extend this line of research by investigating the structural relation between Rozin et al.'s [(2000). Disgust. In M. Lewis, J.M. Haviland (Eds.), Handbook of emotions. New York: Guilford Publications.] theoretical model of core and animal reminder disgust as they relate to BII fears in US (N = 162) and Dutch (N = 260) samples. Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the hypothesized relation between the theoretical model of disgust and BII fears demonstrated good model fit in both samples. Consistent with previous findings on the differential relation between core and animal reminder disgust and BII fears [de Jong, P. J., & Merckelbach H. (1998). Blood-injection-injury phobia and fear of spiders: Domain specific individual differences in disgust sensitivity. Personality and Individual Differences, 24, 153-158], structural equation modeling (SEM) provided support for a domain specific relationship in both samples: animal reminder disgust was specifically related. to the BII latent factor, whereas core disgust was not. The clinical and research implications regarding the relationships between disgust and 1311 fears across cultures are discussed. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved