Genetic modulation of cognitive and clinical traits on women victims of intimate partner violence

Abstract

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most common and alarming form of violence against women. The women exposed to physical or psychological IPV have a higher incidence and severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the biological mechanism between IPV and these mental outcomes is still not clear. One of the principal hypotheses that could explain this process involve biased attention to emotional stimuli, but the most recognized approach is the chronic stress model. There are two genes essentially involved in the stress response pathway, which are FKBP5 and BDNF genes. The present study aimed to investigate: i) the association between the different phenotypical variables (cognitive and clinical traits) ii) the impact of IPV on phenotypical variables, iii) to study the variability of the candidate genes (i.e., FKBP5 and BDNF) and its association with the above-mentioned phenotypic variables, and iii) to analyse the modulating role of FKBP5 and BDNF on the association between IPV and phenotypical variables. Methods: IPV, Attention Bias Variability, General Attention Ability, and depressive, anxious and PTSD symptoms were assessed in 105 women. The SNPs genotyped were the rs1360780 located in the FKBP5 and the rs6265 located in the BDNF. Main effects and interactions were studied using correlations and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results: All IPV types were associated with the clinical traits, but no with the cognitive traits. None of the analysed traits were associated with the BDNF-rs6265 polymorphism. Depressive symptoms were associated with the FKBP5-rs1360780 with CC genotype as risk factor. No gene-environment interaction was found. Conclusions: The result support the role of IPV as a risk factor for developing depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms. Further investigation is needed regarding the modulating role of FKBP5 and BDNF genes in the association between IPV and cognitive and clinical symptomatology.