POSSIBLE CORRELATION OF POLYMORPHISM OF ANGIOTENSIN-CONVERTING ENZYME GENE WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF BIRTH
STRESS
I. M. Spivak,1 T. Y. Smirnova,1 N. V. Gruzdev,2
O. V. Shneider,1 V. V. Abramchenko,3 D. L. Spivak 2
1 Institute if Cytology RAS, 2 Human Brain Institute RAS, and
3 D. O. Ott Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology RAMS;
e-mail: irina_spivak@hotmail.com,
irina_spivak@mail.ru
The paper presents results of a pilot study of genetic correlates of adaptive strategies characteristic for
religious and(or) spiritual people inpost stress, induced by unusual and(or) extreme conditions. Birth stress,
experienced by 79 young normal female urban dwellers Ss in the course of late pregnancy, giving birth, and the
immediately following period post partum, was chosen as model of stress in general. Their state, as well as the
state of the child, was monitored in each case by professional physicians, and assessed according to standard
obstetric procedures. 3 kinds of standard psychological tests, providing assessment of neurotization, creativity,
and the scope of religious/spiritual sensations, were conducted. The latter formed focal point of our research.
As in has recently been supposed, religious/spiritual people tend to be more adaptive in illness and stress, which is
quite important for clinical practice. The first aim of our study was to test whether religious/spiritual sensations
in stress tend to occur as part of general neurotization; or, as part of creative response in the service of the
ego; or, finally, they form a specific dimension of adaptive strategies. In home to simultaneously assess possible
genetic determination of each of these options, we have introduced intro our study a module of assessment of genetic
I/D polymorphisms of ACE gene, primarily linked to the status of the renin-angiotensin system. As a result of factor
analysis, existence of 3 strong trends was demonstrated. 1. Neurotization, creativity, religious/spiritual processes
tend to form 3 independent aspects of response of normal humans to birth stress. 2. Frequency of occurrence of
D-allele tends to reveal strong correlation with only one of these 3 options, which is the generall level of
neurotization. The latter conclusion corresponds well to what is currently known about the role of renin-angiotensin
system primarily in regulation of cardiovascular system, and probably adaptation to stress. 3. Frequency of
occurrence of D-allele in the mother tends to reveal inverse correlation with the Apgar index of the child
(assessment of its physiological state in the course of the first several minutes after birth, based upon such
characteristics as heart beat rate, ability to independent breathing, state of the skin, etc.), and is not linked usuallustandard biometric parameters of newborn children. Continuing to work on this model, we intend to formally assess
possible impact of heredity via other genes upon psychological, especially religious and spiritual aspects of
adaptation to stress of women in birth; and also approach to possible genetic correlates of the state of newborn
children.
Key words: angiotensin-converting enzyme, birth stress
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