Parenting quality interacts with genetic variation in dopamine receptor D4 to influence temperament in early childhood

Abstract

We examined the influence of a common allelic variation in the dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) gene and caregiver quality on temperament in early childhood. Children 18-21 months of age were genotyped for the DRD4 48 base pair tandem repeat polymorphism, which has been implicated in the development of attention, sensation seeking, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The children also interacted with their caregiver for 10 min in a laboratory setting, and these videotaped interactions were coded for parenting quality using an observational rating procedure. The presence of the DRD4 7-repeat allele was associated with differences in the influence of parenting on a measure of temperamental sensation seeking constructed from caregiver reports on children's activity level, impulsivity, and high-intensity pleasure. Children with the 7-repeat allele were influenced by parenting quality, with lower quality parenting associated with higher levels of sensation seeking; children without the 7-repeat allele were uninfluenced by parenting quality. Differences between alleles were not related to the child's self-regulation as assessed by the effortful control measure. Previous studies have indicated that the 7-repeat allele is under positive selective pressure, and our results are consistent with the hypothesis that the DRD4 7-repeat allele increased children's sensitivity to environmental factors such as parenting. This study shows that genes influence the relation between parenting and temperament in ways that are important to normal development and psychopathology.

Sibling genes as environment: Sibling dopamine genotypes and adolescent health support frequency dependent selection

“…Research also suggests the long DRD4 allele increases sensitivity to context (BakermansKranenburg and van IJzendoorn 2006;Sheese et al 2007;Bakermans-Kranenburg et al 2008a, 2008b. Consistent with these studies, the long allele is considered the sensitive genotype here.…”

Association of maternal dopamine transporter genotype with negative parenting: evidence for gene x environment interaction with child disruptive behavior

“…22 Similarly, children with at least one copy of the 7-repeat allele of DRD4 exhibited higher sensation seeking in the presence of low parenting quality, whereas there was no association between parenting and the offspring's sensation seeking in children without this allele. 25 Results were interpreted as being consistent with G Â E, although the authors acknowledged that the observed association may actually be genetic if parenting quality was genetically influenced. Furthermore, a recent study found that child DRD4 genotype moderated the efficacy a randomized controlled trial to promote positive parenting, further suggesting interactive models for child genotype and parenting behavior.…”

Interaction between dopamine D2 receptor genotype and parental rule-setting in adolescent alcohol use: evidence for a gene-parenting interaction

“…In the past decade, various studies have examined the interaction between genetic polymorphisms and adverse environments, such as stressful events, [26][27][28] parental maltreatment, [29][30][31] negative family relationships 32 and inadequate parenting 33 on adolescent engagement in problem behaviors. Regarding adolescent alcohol use, no studies are available that have tested interactions between genes implicated in the dopaminergic system and environmental factors.…”