Postmortem neurotransmitter findings in suicides with major depression indicate abnormalities of the serotonergic system, principally the serotonin 1A receptor (5-HT1A) and serotonin transporter (5-HTT).
Our research team has previously found that individuals who die by suicide and depressed suicide attempters have low serotonin transporter binding in the same brain regions, compared to sudden death controls without any psychiatric illness in the case of suicides and in comparison to depressed non-attempters and healthy volunteers in the case of depressed nonfatal-suicide attempters.
This indicates a potential suicide-related biological endophenotype or profile in the brain in suicides that may be detectable in depressed patients before the first suicide attempt.
Research team led by Professor John Mann
Brain Scans of Neurotransmitter Systems, Childhood Adversity and Suicidal Behavior
In this project we seek to determine whether this is an endophenotype or brain biological profile that is present before the first suicide attempt or onset of major depression, and what is its relationship to childhood adversity.
We have found that serotonin transporter binding is lower in depressed patients with reported childhood adversity. We hypothesize that the 5-HT1A and serotonin transporter binding in depressed suicide attempters, compared with depressed nonattempters and controls, will parallel findings in suicides.
To determine if this is a potential endophenotype or marker in the brain of suicide risk, we will scan a group of high-risk individuals who have a relative who attempted or completed suicide. In the last two years of the project we will study new neurotransmitter targets to expand our knowledge base about suicidal behavior.
We will examine the relationship between the binding measures, fMRI responses during appraisal, stress responses, aggressive traits and the effects of reported childhood adversity.
How To Participate In This Study
Please click here for information on how to participate in this study as a patient, individual with a family history of suicide, or healthy volunteer..