Hee hee! I had to go back and finish the article after your comment, chris. Yes, it is very long! I found it interesting that one of the studies that has actually linked a gene to depression found that the environment determines whether that gene will manifest itself. This, along with all the possible mutations and yet undiscovered links in genes, makes for interesting discussions for now, and possible discoveries, but I won't be rushing out to get personal genome testing done.
A 2003 study made headlines because it suggested that the gene may affect a person�s resilience to life�s stressors rather than giving them a tendency to be depressed or content across the board. People who had two short versions of the gene (one from each parent) were likely to have a major depressive episode only if they had undergone traumatic experiences; those who had a more placid history were fine. In contrast, people who had two long versions of the gene typically failed to report depression regardless of their life histories. In other words, the effects of the gene are sensitive to a person�s environment.
