However, the treatment of depression with selective serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) reuptake inhibitors induces the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, and cell apoptosis on the ocular surface aggravates depression-associated DED by activating the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway (4). Here, NFKB1 is linked to depressive symptom measurement.