Predicting substance use trajectories from early adolescence to young adulthood: examination of gene-gene interaction, gene-environment interaction and gender differences

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Jinni Su (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Andrew Supple

Abstract: Substance use is a significant public health concern due to association with a host of negative psychosocial outcomes. Understanding etiology of substance use remains a key research priority. The current study aimed at contributing to the extant literature of etiology of substance use by examining gene-gene interaction and gene-environment interaction effects in predicting trajectories of substance use from early adolescence to young adulthood, as well as considering gender differences in substance use trajectories and genetic and gene-environment interaction effects. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 13,749), this study examined trajectories of alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use from age 13 to age 32 and evaluated how genes (i.e., DRD4 and 5-HTTLPR) and parenting quality independently and interactively predicted individual's likelihood of following different trajectories of substance use over time. Growth mixture modeling analyses identified distinct trajectories of alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use from early adolescence to young adulthood. Results from multinomial logistic regression analyses provided evidence for gene-gene interaction and gene-environment interaction effects as well as gender differences in these effects in predicting substance use trajectories. Results highlighted the importance of considering the heterogeneity of substance use, examining multiple genes (and environmental factors) in combination, and considering gender differences in understanding etiology of substance use.

Additional Information

Publication
Dissertation
Language: English
Date: 2015
Keywords
5-HTTLPR, DRD4, Gender, Gene-environment interaction, Gene-gene interaction, Substance use
Subjects
Teenagers $x Substance use $z United States
Substance abuse $x Genetic aspects

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