Postoperative delirium is a common complication in geriatric patients. Tryptophan is an amino acid precursor to the mood-stabilizing neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin. We hypothesized that tryptophan levels are lower in elderly subjects who develop postoperative delirium.
Department of Surgery, University of Colorado at Denver, Health Sciences Center, 12631 East 17th Ave., Mail Stop C313, PO Box 6511, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. thomas.robinson@uchsc.edu
