Relationship between alpha 2-adrenergic function and suicidal behavior in depressed patients.

Adult; Clonidine/diagnostic use/pharmacology; Depressive Disorder/diagnosis/psychology; Female; Growth Hormone/metabolism; Humans; Male; Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol/cerebrospinal fluid; Norepinephrine/metabolism; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Radioimmunoassay; Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2/metabolism; Suicide, Attempted

Abstract :

[en] The current main neurochemical theories of the biological correlates of suicidal behavior involve serotonergic and, to a lesser extent, dopaminergic systems. Few data are available about the possible implication of the noradrenergic function. In the present study, we assessed the growth hormone response to clonidine, a selective alpha 2-adrenergic agonist, in 15 DSM-III-R major depressive inpatients with a history of suicide attempts, compared with 15 age- and gender-matched major depressive inpatients without a history of suicidal behavior. Mean (+/- SD) growth hormone peak responses to clonidine were significantly lower in the group of suicide attempters than in the control group: 2.93 +/- 3.01 ng/ml vs. 8.28 +/- 8.15 ng/ml. Therefore, these results suggest that a blunted growth hormone response to clonidine could be a biological correlate of suicidal behavior.

Disciplines :

Psychiatry

Author, co-author :

Pitchot, William ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > Psychiatrie et psychologie médicale

Ansseau, Marc ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > Psychiatrie et psychologie médicale

Gonzalez Moreno, Antonio; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > Psychiatrie et psychologie médicale

Wauthy, Jacques ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > Psychiatrie et psychologie médicale

Hansenne, Michel ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cognitives > Psycho. de la personnalité et des différences individuelles

von Frenckell, Rémy ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Psychiatrie et psychologie médicale

Language :

English

Title :

Relationship between alpha 2-adrenergic function and suicidal behavior in depressed patients.

Publication date :

1994

Journal title :

Psychiatry Research

ISSN :

0165-1781

eISSN :

1872-7123

Publisher :

Elsevier North Holland Biomedical Press, Limerick, Ireland

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

115-123

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 12 November 2009

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