Background: The mechanisms underlying the relationship between life events and psychological distress are unclear. However, evidence of genetic involvement, including the neuropeptide S receptor gene (NPSR1), exists.
Methods: A total of 600 Chinese adults were enrolled in this cross-sectional study using random cluster sampling. Demographic information, measures of life events and psychiatric symptoms, and fasting blood samples were collected.
Results: Significant correlations were observed among life-event scores, somatization, and psychological distress (i.e., anxiety and depressive symptoms). Regression revealed life-event scores and somatization predicted anxiety, depressive symptoms, and psychological distress, while controlling for sex, age, income, education, and marital status. Structural equation modeling indicated that somatization mediated the association between life-event scores and psychological distress. Moreover, the mediating effect was influenced by the NPSR1 gene, suggesting that the NPSR1 polymorphisms rs324981, rs6947841, and rs6972158 influenced the association between life-event scores and somatization (ps < 0.05). The NPSR1 polymorphisms rs12673132 significantly affected the relationship of somatization with psychological distress (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: In conclusion, somatization mediated the association between life-event scores and psychological distress. The current study is the first to demonstrate this relationship with a Chinese sample, whereby the NPSR1 gene affects the mediating effect of somatization on the association between life-event scores and psychological distress.
Keywords: Life events; Mediation; Moderation; NPSR1 gene; Psychological distress; Somatization.
Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.