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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2017 Feb 15.
Published in final edited form as: Neuroscience. 2016 Feb 22;342:212–231. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.02.037

Fig. 1.

Fig. 1

There is a complex interaction between genetic phenotype (s or l alleles for the SLC6A4 gene), in utero SSRI exposure, prenatal and postnatal environment to influence the 5-HT system. Depending on this interaction, certain conditions or environments can be protective or associated with an increased risk of mental illness later in life. Changes in central 5-HT levels during developmentally sensitive periods may act as ‘plasticity factors’ rather than ‘risk factors’ associated with vulnerability.