Our finding that a history of childhood adversity was essentially restricted to the MDD group is consistent with previous reports.23,24 In addition, our findings of no association between 5-HT1A receptor promoter genotype and history of childhood adversity in the MDD group and no association with recent stress in either the full sample or the MDD group alone are consistent with a previous study in healthy volunteers.25 Others report an association of the G-allele at the C(−1019)G site with greater stress reactivity, depression and suicide in adulthood.26–28. This evidence concerns the gene HTR1A and depressive symptom measurement.