A Common Mineralocorticoid Receptor Polymorphism (I180V) Interacts with Life Events in Relation to Perfectionism in Eating Disorders: A Pilot Study

• Published in: European eating disorders review 2014-11, Vol.22 (6), p.423-429
• Main Authors: Slof-Op't Landt, Margarita C. T., DeRijk, Roel H., van Son, Gabrielle E., Suchiman, H. Eka D., Meulenbelt, Ingrid, Slagboom, P. Eline, Van Furth, Eric F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; eating disorder; Eating disorders; Feeding and Eating Disorders - genetics; Feeding and Eating Disorders - psychology; Female; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genotype; G×E interactions; Humans; Life Change Events; life events; Male; mineralocorticoid receptor; perfectionism; Pilot Projects; Polymorphism, Genetic - genetics; Receptors, Glucocorticoid - genetics; Receptors, Glucocorticoid - physiology; Receptors, Mineralocorticoid - genetics; Receptors, Mineralocorticoid - physiology; Signal transduction; Stress response; Stress, Psychological - genetics; Stress, Psychological - psychology; T cell receptors
• ISSN: 1072-4133; 1099-0968
• DOI: 10.1002/erv.2319

The stress response is regulated by the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). When the balance between GR and MR signalling is disturbed, one's capacity to cope with a stressful event is diminished. In this pilot study, we tested the hypothesis that an interaction between common variants in the MR (rs5522) or GR gene (rs41423247) and stressful life events influences perfectionism levels in a group of patients with an eating disorder (ED; n = 113). Patients carrying the minor G allele of rs5522 had a higher perfectionism score if more stressful life events were experienced [β = 0.95, t(109) = 3.75, p