Variants of SLC6A4 in depression risk following severe TBI.

Background: Post-traumatic depression (PTD) may be a result of several factors like secondary injury chemical cascades as well as psycho-social factors following traumatic brain injury (TBI). While the role of serotonin in the pathology and treatment of idiopathic major depression may be somewhat controversial, it is unclear what role serotonin may play in PTD following a TBI.

Objective: To assess serotonergic function and genetic risk for PTD development over 1 year following TBI.