Citation

Graham DP, Helmer DA, Harding MJ, Kosten TR, Petersen NJ, Nielsen DA. J. Psychiatr. Res. 2013; 47(6): 835-842.

Affiliation

Neurorehabilitation: Neurons to Networks Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA; Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; South Central Mental Illness, Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Department of Veterans Affairs, TX, USA. Electronic address: david.graham@va.gov.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jpsychires.2013.02.006

PMID

23478049

Abstract

Evidence indicates that individuals with the 5-HTTLPR variant short/short genotype have increased sensitivity to both positive and negative perceptions of perceived social support. The aim of this study was to evaluate this association among Veterans in the context of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). As part of a larger TBI center, we performed a cross-sectional study of 67 OEF/OIF/OND Veterans (41 with TBI and 26 controls without TBI) who completed the questionnaires and consented to genetic testing. The primary measures included the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CDRISC) and the Perceived Limitations in community participation subscale of the Community Reintegration of Service Members Instrument (CRIS-PL). Both 5-HTTLPR genotype and TBI status were independently associated with the CRIS-PL (p = .009 for genotype, p = .001 for TBI) and the CDRISC (p = .015 for genotype, p = .003 for TBI) scores. This study suggests that both the 5-HTTLPR genotype and TBI status independently, in an almost equal but opposite direction, influence resilience and perceived limitations to social participation. Further, resilience appears more sensitive to perceived limitations in Veterans carrying an S'S' genotype than in L' carriers, but only in the context of having sustained a TBI. While having a TBI appeared to increase a Veteran's sensitivity to social stress, the Veteran's who were L' allele carriers with a TBI fared the worst, with lower resilience and more perceived limitations for community participation compared to L' carrier Veterans without a TBI or Veterans with the S'S' genotype regardless of TBI status.

Language: en