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Lannoy S, Ohlsson H, Stephenson M, Sundquist J, Sundquist K, Edwards AC. Mediational pathways between aggregate genetic liability and nonfatal suicide attempt: A Swedish population-based cohort. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2024; 195:e32974. [PMID: 38366742 PMCID: PMC11147698 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Despite recent progress in the genetics of suicidal behavior, the pathway by which genetic liability increases suicide attempt risk is unclear. We investigated the mediational pathways from family/genetic risk for suicide attempt (FGRSSA) to suicide attempt by considering the roles of psychiatric illnesses. In a Swedish cohort, we evaluated time to suicide attempt as a function of FGRSSA and the mediational effects of alcohol use disorder, drug use disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, major depression, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, and non-affective psychosis. Analyses were conducted by sex in three age periods: 15-25 years (Nfemales = 850,278 and Nmales = 899,366), 26-35 years (Nfemales = 800,189 and Nmales = 861,774), and 36-45 years (Nfemales = 498,285 and Nmales = 535,831). The association between FGRSSA and suicide attempt was mediated via psychiatric disorders. The highest mediation effects were observed for alcohol use disorder in males (15-25 years, HRtotal = 1.60 [1.59; 1.62], mediation = 14.4%), drug use disorder in females (25-36 years, HRtotal = 1.46 [1.44; 1.49], mediation = 11.2%), and major depression (25-36 years) in females (HRtotal = 1.46 [1.44; 1.49], mediation = 7%) and males (HRtotal = 1.50 [1.47;1.52], mediation = 4.7%). While the direct effect of FGRSSA was higher at ages of 15-25, the mediation via psychiatric disorders was more prominent in later adulthood. Our study informs about the psychiatric illnesses via which genetic liability operates to impact suicide attempt risk, with distinct contributions according to age and sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Séverine Lannoy
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Henrik Ohlsson
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Mallory Stephenson
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Jan Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kristina Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Alexis C Edwards
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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Edwards AC, Abrahamsson L, Crump C, Sundquist J, Sundquist K, Kendler KS. Alcohol use disorder and risk of specific methods of suicide death in a national cohort. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2024; 149:479-490. [PMID: 38556255 PMCID: PMC11065572 DOI: 10.1111/acps.13683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is among the strongest correlates of suicide death, but it is unclear whether AUD status is differentially associated with risk of suicide by particular methods. METHODS The authors used competing risks models to evaluate the association between AUD status and risk of suicide by poisoning, suffocation, drowning, firearm, instruments, jumping, or other means in a large Swedish cohort born 1932-1995 (total N = 6,581,827; 48.8% female). Data were derived from Swedish national registers, including the Cause of Death Register and a range of medical registers. RESULTS After adjusting for sociodemographic factors and familial liability to suicidal behavior, AUD was positively associated with risk of suicide for each method evaluated (cumulative incidence differences: 0.006-1.040 for females, 0.046-0.680 for males), except the association with firearm suicide in females. AUD was most strongly associated with risk of suicide by poisoning. Sex differences in the effects of AUD and family liability were observed for some, but not all, methods. Furthermore, high familial liability for suicidal behavior exacerbated AUD's impact on risk for suicide by poisoning (both sexes) and suffocation and jumping (males only), while the inverse interaction was observed for firearm suicide (males only). CONCLUSIONS AUD increases risk of suicide by all methods examined and is particularly potent with respect to risk of suicide by poisoning. Differences in risk related to sex and familial liability to suicidal behavior underscore AUD's nuanced role in suicide risk. Future research should investigate targeted means restriction effectiveness among persons with AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis C. Edwards
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, US
| | - Linda Abrahamsson
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Casey Crump
- Departments of Family and Community Medicine and of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, US
| | - Jan Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | | | - Kenneth S. Kendler
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, US
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Lannoy S, Ohlsson H, Kendler KS, Stephenson M, Sundquist J, Sundquist K, Edwards AC. Risk of suicidal behavior as a function of alcohol use disorder typologies: A Swedish population-based study. Addiction 2024; 119:281-290. [PMID: 37752713 PMCID: PMC10916712 DOI: 10.1111/add.16351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is one of the strongest predictors of suicidal behavior. Here, we measured risk of suicide attempt and death as a function of AUD typologies. DESIGN We used AUD typologies from previous latent class analysis: (i) externalizing subtype (characterized by externalizing symptomatology and early age of onset; individuals in this group have lower education and higher familial/social difficulties); (ii) subtype described by minimal psychopathology; and (iii) internalizing subtype (characterized by internalizing symptomatology and later age of onset; individuals in this group have higher education). We used class membership to predict distal outcomes (attempt and death) and performed regressions to evaluate whether differences in suicidal behavior were explained by the group characteristics (sex, age of onset, number and type of AUD registrations, familial/genetic risk for AUD, externalizing and internalizing behaviors, socio-economic indicators, marital status and childhood family status). We also evaluated the effect of suicide attempt prior to AUD. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Based on longitudinal Swedish registry data, we included 217 074 individuals with AUD born 1950-80. MEASUREMENTS Suicide attempts were identified using medical registers and deaths using the mortality register. FINDINGS Individuals with the externalizing subtype had higher risks of suicidal behavior than other groups [attempt: externalizing versus minimal psychopathology: odds ratio (OR) = 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.35, 1.35; externalizing versus internalizing: OR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.46, 1.48; death: externalizing versus minimal psychopathology: OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.57, 1.58; externalizing versus internalizing: OR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.93, 2.06]. Individuals with minimal psychopathology had higher risks than those with internalizing symptomatology (attempt: OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.08, 1.10, death: OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.23, 1.30). These differences were explained by age at registration and were related to the number of registrations, sex, education, family disruption and suicide attempt prior to AUD. CONCLUSIONS Among people in Sweden, considering alcohol use disorder (AUD) heterogeneity appears to be a meaningful way to evaluate suicide risk. The highest risk of suicide attempt and death occurs in the externalizing subtype of AUD, followed by the minimal psychopathology subtype, and then the internalizing subtype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Séverine Lannoy
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Henrik Ohlsson
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Kenneth S. Kendler
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Mallory Stephenson
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Jan Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kristina Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alexis C. Edwards
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
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Edwards AC, Ohlsson H, Sundquist J, Crump C, Mościcki E, Sundquist K, Kendler KS. The role of substance use disorders in the transition from suicide attempt to suicide death: a record linkage study of a Swedish cohort. Psychol Med 2024; 54:90-97. [PMID: 36349370 PMCID: PMC10166763 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291722002240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Suicidal behavior and substance use disorders (SUDs) are important public health concerns. Prior suicide attempts and SUDs are two of the most consistent predictors of suicide death, and clarifying the role of SUDs in the transition from suicide attempt to suicide death could inform prevention efforts. METHODS We used national Swedish registry data to identify individuals born 1960-1985, with an index suicide attempt in 1997-2017 (N = 74 873; 46.7% female). We assessed risk of suicide death as a function of registration for a range of individual SUDs. We further examined whether the impact of SUDs varied as a function of (i) aggregate genetic liability to suicidal behavior, or (ii) age at index suicide attempt. RESULTS In univariate models, risk of suicide death was higher among individuals with any SUD registration [hazard ratios (HRs) = 2.68-3.86]. In multivariate models, effects of specific SUDs were attenuated, but remained elevated for AUD (HR = 1.86 95% confidence intervals 1.68-2.05), opiates [HR = 1.58 (1.37-1.82)], sedatives [HR = 1.93 (1.70-2.18)], and multiple substances [HR = 2.09 (1.86-2.35)]. In secondary analyses, the effects of most, but not all, SUD were exacerbated by higher levels of genetic liability to suicide death, and among individuals who were younger at their index suicide attempt. CONCLUSIONS In the presence of a strong predictor of suicide death - a prior attempt - substantial predictive power is still attributable to SUDs. Individuals with SUDs may warrant additional suicide screening and prevention efforts, particularly in the context of a family history of suicidal behavior or early onset of suicide attempt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis C. Edwards
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Henrik Ohlsson
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Jan Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Casey Crump
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Kristina Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kenneth S. Kendler
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
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Edwards AC, Ohlsson H, Mościcki EK, Sundquist J, Crump C, Kendler KS, Sundquist K. Genetic differences between suicide deaths and deaths of undetermined intent. Suicide Life Threat Behav 2023; 53:100-109. [PMID: 36314433 PMCID: PMC9908835 DOI: 10.1111/sltb.12926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Few, if any, prior studies have considered whether undetermined intent (UDI) deaths and suicide deaths differ with respect to genetic liability for suicidal behavior or psychopathology. METHODS The authors used Swedish national registry data to identify suicide deaths (N = 31,835) and UDI deaths (N = 10,623); sociodemographic covariates; and registrations for psychopathology. Family genetic risk scores (FGRS) were derived for each form of psychopathology. The authors used LASSO models to assess genetic and phenotypic differences across outcomes. RESULTS In the multivariate LASSO regressions, higher FGRS for major depression, bipolar disorder, and suicide death were associated with lower odds of UDI relative to unambiguous suicide (OR = 0.91-0.95), while those for alcohol and drug use disorders, ADHD, and criminal behavior were associated with higher odds of UDI relative to unambiguous suicide (OR = 1.04-1.12). When the corresponding phenotypic registration status for these outcomes was included in a subsequent model, the associations were attenuated and of small magnitude, but many remained different from OR = 1. CONCLUSIONS Aggregate genetic differences between unambiguous suicide decedents and UDI deaths are small, particularly when accounting for psychiatric comorbidity, but in some cases, statistically significant. These findings suggest that different analytic treatment of UDI deaths may be warranted depending on the research question. Replication in other samples, and using molecular genetic data, is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis C. Edwards
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, US
| | - Henrik Ohlsson
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | | | - Jan Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Casey Crump
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, US
| | - Kenneth S. Kendler
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, US
| | - Kristina Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden,Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, US
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Stephenson ME, Lönn SL, Salvatore JE, Sundquist J, Kendler KS, Sundquist K, Edwards AC. Sibling alcohol use disorder is associated with increased risk for suicide attempt. Clin Psychol Sci 2022; 10:374-382. [PMID: 35599838 PMCID: PMC9119630 DOI: 10.1177/21677026211025041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The association between having a sibling diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and risk for suicide attempt may be attributable to shared genetic liability between AUD and suicidal behavior, effects of environmental exposure to a sibling's AUD, or both. To distinguish between these alternatives, we conducted a series of Cox regression models using data derived from Swedish population-based registers with national coverage. Among full sibling pairs (656,807 males and 607,096 females), we found that proband risk for suicide attempt was significantly elevated when their sibling was affected by AUD, even after accounting for the proband's AUD status. Further, risk for proband suicide attempt was consistently higher when the sibling's AUD registration had occurred more recently. Our findings provide evidence for exposure to sibling AUD as an environmental risk factor for suicide attempt and suggest that clinical outreach may be warranted following a sibling's diagnosis with AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallory E. Stephenson
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Sara Larsson Lönn
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Jessica E. Salvatore
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Jan Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Kenneth S. Kendler
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry and School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | | | - Alexis C. Edwards
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry and School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
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