Citation

Wilson ST, Chesin M, Fertuck E, Keilp J, Brodsky B, Mann JJ, Sönmez CC, Benjamin-Phillips C, Stanley B. Psychiatry Res. 2016; 240: 241-247.

Affiliation

Department of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.psychres.2016.04.033

PMID

27124209

Abstract

Identification of biological indicators of suicide risk is important given advantages of biomarker-based models. Decreased high frequency heart rate variability (HF HRV) may be a biomarker of suicide risk. The aim of this research was to determine whether HF HRV differs between suicide attempters and non-attempters. Using the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), we compared HF HRV between females with and without a history of suicide attempt, all with a lifetime diagnosis of a mood disorder. To investigate a potential mechanism explaining association between HF HRV and suicide, we examined the association between self-reported anger and HF HRV.

RESULTS of an Area under the Curve (AUC) analysis showed attempters had a lower cumulative HF HRV during the TSST than non-attempters. In addition, while there was no difference in self-reported anger at baseline, the increase in anger was greater in attempters, and negatively associated with HF HRV.

RESULTS suggest that suicide attempters have a reduced capacity to regulate their response to stress, and that reduced capacity to regulate anger may be a mechanism through which decreased HF HRV can lead to an increase in suicide risk. Our results have implications for the prevention of suicidal behavior in at-risk populations.

Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en