Associations between APOE-, COMT Val108/158Met- and BDNF Val66Met polymorphisms and variations in depressive and anxiety symptoms, sense of coherence and vital exhaustion in the real-life setting of mandatory basic military training

Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε, catechol-O-methytranferase (COMT) Val108/158Met and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were shown to affect stress perception and response. The present study explored possible associations between these SNPs and changes in subclinical anxiety- and depressive symptoms, sense of coherence (SOC) and vital exhaustion (VE) during compulsory basic military training. The study encompassed 179 conscripts of a training base in Greece. The neuropsychiatric assessment was based on the Beck Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Antonovsky SOC scale and the Maastricht Questionnaire. It was conducted at three time points of the 19-day basic military training: on day one (baseline), day six (follow-up I) and day 13 (follow-up II). Statistical analyses included Mann–Whitney test, Chi-square test and cross-sectional time series regression models based on the Skillings–Mack statistic. APOE ε4 non-carriers encountered significant changes in anxiety- and depressive symptoms and SOC (in all cases P