The biological background and consequences of serotonin transporter polymorphism-glucocorticoid relationship in individual differences in stress reactivity has been a major interest in neuropsychiatry research. Individual differences in glucocorticoid release have long been implicated in vulnerability to stress-related psychopathologies, like depression and anxiety in various species. Yet, it is largely elusive to what extent results from non-human primates and rodents translate to human findings. Based on our structured, comprehensive and non-hypothesis driven overview of this topic, we conclude that although gene-environment interaction studies have highlighted the importance of serotonin transporter polymorphism in modulating glucocorticoid release, there is compelling evidence that age, gender and ethnicity are significant factors too contributing to the equation. We conclude too that the way early life events modulate an individual’s stress reactivity as a function of serotonin transporter polymorphism is comparable between species. These data provide a rationale for the design of new, prospective translational studies into sex-specific gene-environment interactions across the lifespan with the goal of improving preventative efforts and optimizing (personalized) treatment in stress-related psychopathologies.

血清素转运蛋白多态性-糖皮质激素关系在应激反应个体差异中的生物学背景和后果一直是神经精神病学研究的主要兴趣。长期以来，糖皮质激素释放的个体差异涉及与压力相关的精神病理学的脆弱性，例如各种物种的抑郁和焦虑。然而，在很大程度上，由非人类的灵长类动物和啮齿类动物产生的结果转化为人类的发现尚不清楚。根据我们对该主题的结构化，综合性和非假设性的概述，我们得出结论，尽管基因与环境之间的相互作用研究突出了5-羟色胺转运蛋白多态性在调节糖皮质激素释放中的重要性，但仍有令人信服的证据表明年龄，性别和种族也是影响方程式的重要因素。我们也得出结论，生命早期事件作为5-羟色胺转运蛋白多态性的函数来调节个体的应激反应的方式在物种之间是可比的。这些数据为在整个生命周期中针对性别特定的基因-环境相互作用进行新的前瞻性转化研究设计提供了理论依据，目的是改善在与压力有关的精神病理学中的预防工作和优化（个性化）治疗。