@article{ref1,
title="Reduced dopamine function in depressed patients is related to suicidal behavior but not its lethality",
journal="Psychoneuroendocrinology",
year="2001",
author="Pitchot, W. and Hansenne, M. and Gonzalez Moreno, A. and Pinto, E. and Reggers, J. and Fuchs, S. and Pirard, S. and Ansseau, M.",
volume="26",
number="7",
pages="689-696",
abstract="Several lines of evidence suggest a role for dopamine in the control of suicidal behaviour. Previously, we suggested an involvement of D2-dopaminergic function in the biology of suicide by demonstrating a smaller growth hormone (GH) response to apomorphine, a dopaminergic agonist, in depressed patients who later died by suicide. The purpose of the present study was to assess GH response to apomorphine in major depressed in-patients with a history of highly lethal suicide attempt compared to depressed patients with a low lethal lifetime suicide attempt history and non-attempters. The study was performed in a sample of 26 male depressed in-patients with a history of suicide attempt compared to 26 male depressed non-attempters. We observed a significant difference between suicide attempters and non-attempters (for GH peak, 6.3+/-5.1 ng/ml vs 15.8+/-14.2 ng/ml, F=10.3, df=1, 50, P=0.002). Moreover, GH peak responses to apomorphine did not differ between depressed patients with a high lethal lifetime suicide attempt history and patients who made low lethal lifetime suicide attempt. In conclusion, the results of the present study support a role for dopamine in the biology of suicidal behaviour. More specifically, an impaired GH response to apomorphine could be a marker of suicide risk.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0306-4530",
doi="10.1016/s0306-4530(01)00021-x",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0306-4530(01)00021-x"
}