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The role of serotonin receptor alleles and environmental stressors in the development of post‐concussive symptoms after pediatric mild traumatic brain injury
Author(s) -
Smyth Kim,
Sandhu Sandeep S,
Crawford Susan,
Dewey Deborah,
Parboosingh Jillian,
Barlow Karen M
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
developmental medicine and child neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.658
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1469-8749
pISSN - 0012-1622
DOI - 10.1111/dmcn.12263
Subject(s) - asymptomatic , concussion , traumatic brain injury , stressor , depression (economics) , medicine , psychology , head injury , pediatrics , poison control , psychiatry , injury prevention , environmental health , economics , macroeconomics
Aim To determine whether post‐injury depressive symptoms, and pre‐injury major life stressors and genetic factors ( HTR1A C(‐1019)G alleles; rs6295) are more common in children with mild traumatic brain injury ( mTBI ) who develop postconcussion syndrome (PCS) symptoms compared with children with asymptomatic mTBI . Method This was a cross‐sectional study of 47 symptomatic children (32 males, 15 females; mean age 14y [SD 3y 3mo]) who experienced post‐concussive symptoms for 7 or more days and 42 asymptomatic children (26 males 16 females; mean age 13y 6mo [SD 3y 1mo]) after mTBI . Outcome measures were the Postconcussion Symptoms Inventory (PCSI), the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), standard questionnaire of previous life events, and buccal DNA analysis to determine genotype and allele frequencies for the HTR1A C(‐1019)G polymorphism. Results Depressive symptoms were uncommon. CDI scores did not differ between groups. Allelic and genotypic frequencies for HTR 1A C(‐1019)G were similar in both groups. Symptomatic children continued to have elevated PCS scores compared with asymptomatic children 1.72 ( SD 0.69) years later and had experienced significantly more life stressors (Wald (1)=8.51, p =0.004). Interpretation HTR1A polymorphisms do not differ in children with PCS. Children who have experienced more significant life stresses are more likely to develop PCS symptoms after mTBI .