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Strumila R, Lengvenyte A, Zdanavicius L, Badaras R, Dlugauskas E, Lesinskiene S, Matiekus E, Marcinkevicius M, Venceviciene L, Utkus A, Kaminskas A, Petrenas T, Songailiene J, Vitkus D, Ambrozaityte L. Higher levels of plasma Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) are associated with lower suicidal ideation in depressed patients compared to controls and suicide attempters, independently from depression severity. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2024; 19:100235. [PMID: 38737407 PMCID: PMC11087924 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2024.100235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Suicidal ideation, an important risk factor for suicide attempts, has an unclear neurobiological basis and is potentially linked to the dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and immune-inflammatory systems. While inflammatory markers have been associated with suicide attempts and, to a lower extent suicidal ideation, the data on the role of a stress-response system is less robust, with most studies carried out with cortisol showing inconsistent results. The present study extends on the previous studies implicating stress-response and immune-inflammatory systems in suicidal thoughts and behaviours, focusing on the associations of several stress-response (adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)) and immune-inflammatory (C-reactive protein (CRP),interle ukin-6 (IL-6), and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)) with suicidal ideation severity in recent suicide attempters, patients with major depressive disorder, and non-psychiatric controls. Methods This observational study included 156 adults from three Vilnius hospitals, recruited into one of the three groups in equal parts: recent suicide attempters, patients with major depressive disorder in current depressive episode, and non-psychiatric controls. Measures included the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) and the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation/Suicide Severity Index (BSS/SSI), alongside sociodemographic data, alcohol, tobacco use, and morning blood samples, measuring plasma ACTH, cortisol, DHEA, CRP, and IL-6. Data were analysed with non-parametric tests, Kendall's tau correlation, and multivariate linear regression adjusted for confounders. Results We found a negative correlation between the plasma ACTH levels and suicidal ideation severity (tau = -0.130, p = 0.033), which was driven by the patients with major depressive disorder (tau = -0.237, p = 0.031). Suicidal ideation severity was also negatively correlated with TNF-alpha (tau = -0.231; p < 0.001), positively correlated with IL-6 (tau = 0.154, p = 0.015), and CRP levels (tau = 0.153, p = 0.015), but no differences were observed in group-stratified analyses. The association between plasma ACTH levels and suicidal ideation severity in patients with major depressive disorder remained robust to adjustment for major confounders (adjusted for age, sex, education years, body mass index, smoking status, plasma CRP and PEth concentration (measuring chronic alcohol exposure), and antidepressant use) in the linear regression model (t = -2.71, p = 0.011), as well as additionally adjusting for depression severity (t = -2.99, p = 0.006). Discussion The present study shows an association between plasma ACTH levels and suicidal ideation severity in patients with major depressive disorder, robust to adjustment for antidepressant use and depression severity. This finding highlights the potential role of ACTH, in elucidating the effects of stress and mental health disorders. Our findings underscore the importance of the HPA axis in the diagnosis and treatment of suicidal ideation in major depressive disorder and invite further research on interventions targeting this pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robertas Strumila
- Department of Urgent and Post Urgent Psychiatry, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institute of Functional Genomics, CNRS, INSERM, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Clinic of Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Aiste Lengvenyte
- Department of Urgent and Post Urgent Psychiatry, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institute of Functional Genomics, CNRS, INSERM, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Clinic of Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Linas Zdanavicius
- Centre for Toxicology, Clinic of Anaesthesiology, Reanimatology and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Robertas Badaras
- Centre for Toxicology, Clinic of Anaesthesiology, Reanimatology and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Edgaras Dlugauskas
- Clinic of Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Sigita Lesinskiene
- Clinic of Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | | | | | - Lina Venceviciene
- Centre for Family Medicine, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Algirdas Utkus
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Andrius Kaminskas
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Tomas Petrenas
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Jurgita Songailiene
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Dalius Vitkus
- Centre of Laboratory Medicine, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Department of Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Laima Ambrozaityte
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius, Lithuania
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Ganesan B, Al-Jumaily A, Fong KNK, Prasad P, Meena SK, Tong RKY. Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak Quarantine, Isolation, and Lockdown Policies on Mental Health and Suicide. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:565190. [PMID: 33935817 PMCID: PMC8085354 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.565190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has made a huge impact on people's physical and mental health, and it remains a cause of death for many all over the world. To prevent the spread of coronavirus infection, different types of public health measures (social isolation, quarantine, lockdowns, and curfews) have been imposed by governments. However, mental health experts warn that the prolonged lockdown, quarantine, or isolation will create a "second pandemic" with severe mental health issues and suicides. The quarantined or isolated people may suffer from various issues such as physical inactivity, mental health, economic and social problems. As with the SARS outbreak in 2003, many suicide cases have been reported in connection with this current COVID-19 pandemic lockdown due to various factors such as social stigma, alcohol withdrawal syndrome, fear of COVID infection, loneliness, and other mental health issues. This paper provides an overview of risk factors that can cause suicide and outlines possible solutions to prevent suicide in this current COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balasankar Ganesan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Adel Al-Jumaily
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
- School of Science, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Kenneth N. K. Fong
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Palak Prasad
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi, India
| | - Surendra Kumar Meena
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Mahatma Gandhi Occupational Therapy College, Jaipur, India
| | - Raymond Kai-Yu Tong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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3
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Abstract
Hormones have a crucial part in the progress and manifestation of a wide variety of different behaviors. The main influence of the neuroendocrine system on behavior is its action on the neurobiology of neuropsychiatric disorders and its relationship with the pharmacodynamics of medicines. Of all the neuroendocrine axes, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been the most extensively studied. There is evidence that disturbance in the HPA axis, the primary stress hormone system, could increase treatment resistance and relapse, worsen illness outcome, and cause cognitive deficits. Glucocorticoids mediate their actions in negative feedback binding in two different cytoplasmatic receptors described as mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) and glucocorticoid receptors (GRs). Different psychopathologies underlying bipolar disorders are supposed to involve persistent dysfunctions in the expression and role of both MR and GR in the hippocampus. We review and analyze the evidence related to the correlation between bipolar disorders and the consequences and impact of stressful life events on the HPA axis, exploring the importance of these findings in bipolar disorders and as potential new targets for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario F Juruena
- Centre for Affective Disorders, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Anthony J Cleare
- Centre for Affective Disorders, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Allan H Young
- Centre for Affective Disorders, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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Chopra K, Katz JL, Quilty LC, Matthews S, Ravindran A, Levitan RD. Extraversion modulates cortisol responses to acute social stress in chronic major depression. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 103:316-323. [PMID: 30784994 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2018] [Revised: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic Major Depressive Disorder (CMDD) is a common, disabling illness that is often complicated by high reactivity to social stress. To further elucidate the nature of this reactivity, the current study evaluated whether the personality dimensions of neuroticism and extraversion influenced cortisol responses to a social challenge in CMDD patients vs. controls. METHODS Fifty participants with CMDD and 58 healthy controls completed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) using a standard protocol. Neuroticism and extraversion were measured using the Revised NEO Personality Inventory. Hierarchical linear regressions assessed associations between independent variables neuroticism and extraversion and dependent variable cortisol area-under-the-curve increase (AUCi) in response to the TSST in the two study groups. RESULTS The extraversion-by-group interaction was a significant predictor of cortisol AUCi, while no significant findings related to neuroticism were found. Simple slopes analysis revealed a significant negative association between extraversion and AUCi in the CMDD group, but not in healthy controls. Post-hoc analysis of the raw cortisol data over time found that CMDD participants with higher extraversion scores had significantly higher pre-challenge cortisol levels than did other study participants, however this did not explain or confound the AUCi results. CONCLUSIONS In participants with CMDD but not in controls, higher levels of extraversion were associated with higher pre-challenge cortisol levels and decreased cortisol reactivity during the TSST, however these two findings were statistically independent. These findings underline the importance of considering personality factors when studying stress biology in CMDD patients. Extraversion may prove to be an important intermediate target for both research and clinical work in this complex, heterogenous and often treatment-resistant population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Chopra
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Lena C Quilty
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephen Matthews
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Arun Ravindran
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Robert D Levitan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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Wiener CD, Moreira FP, Zago A, Souza LM, Branco JC, Oliveira JFD, Silva RAD, Portela LV, Lara DR, Jansen K, Oses JP. Mood disorder, anxiety, and suicide risk among subjects with alcohol abuse and/or dependence: a population-based study. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 40:1-5. [PMID: 28658442 PMCID: PMC6899419 DOI: 10.1590/1516-4446-2016-2170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of alcohol abuse and/or dependence in a population-based sample of young adults and assess the prevalence of comorbid mood disorders, anxiety, and suicide risk in this population. Methods: This cross-sectional, population-based study enrolled 1,953 young adults aged 18-35 years. The CAGE questionnaire was used to screen for alcohol abuse and/or dependence, with CAGE scores ≥ 2 considered positive. Psychiatric disorders were investigated through the structured Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Results: Alcohol abuse and/or dependence was identified in 187 (9.60%) individuals (5.10% among women and 15.20% among men). Alcohol abuse and/or dependence were more prevalent among men than women, as well as among those who used tobacco, illicit drugs or presented with anxiety disorder, mood disorder, and suicide risk. Conclusion: These findings suggest that alcohol abuse and/or dependence are consistently associated with a higher prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities, could be considered important predictors of other psychiatric disorders, and deserve greater public heath attention, pointing to the need for alcohol abuse prevention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina D Wiener
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Comportamento, Centro de Ciências da Vida e da Saúde, Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel), Pelotas, RS, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Epidemiologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel), Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Fernanda P Moreira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Comportamento, Centro de Ciências da Vida e da Saúde, Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel), Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Alethea Zago
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Comportamento, Centro de Ciências da Vida e da Saúde, Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel), Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Luciano M Souza
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Comportamento, Centro de Ciências da Vida e da Saúde, Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel), Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Jeronimo C Branco
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Comportamento, Centro de Ciências da Vida e da Saúde, Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel), Pelotas, RS, Brazil.,Centro Universitário Franciscano (UNIFRA), Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Jacqueline F de Oliveira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Comportamento, Centro de Ciências da Vida e da Saúde, Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel), Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Ricardo A da Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Comportamento, Centro de Ciências da Vida e da Saúde, Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel), Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Luis V Portela
- Laboratório de Neurotrauma, Departamento de Bioquímica Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Diogo R Lara
- Laboratório de Neuroquímica e Psicofarmacologia, Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular Faculdade de Biociência, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Karen Jansen
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Comportamento, Centro de Ciências da Vida e da Saúde, Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel), Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Jean P Oses
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Comportamento, Centro de Ciências da Vida e da Saúde, Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel), Pelotas, RS, Brazil.,Tecnologia Aplicada às Neurociências, Mestrado em Engenharia Eletrônica e Computação, UCPel, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
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Pompili M, Serafini G, Innamorati M, Möller-Leimkühler AM, Giupponi G, Girardi P, Tatarelli R, Lester D. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and serotonin abnormalities: a selective overview for the implications of suicide prevention. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2010; 260:583-600. [PMID: 20174927 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-010-0108-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2009] [Accepted: 02/05/2010] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Suicidal behavior and mood disorders are one of the world's largest public health problems. The biological vulnerability for these problems includes genetic factors involved in the regulation of the serotonergic system and stress system. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a neuroendocrine system that regulates the body's response to stress and has complex interactions with brain serotonergic, noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems. Corticotropin-releasing hormone and vasopressin act synergistically to stimulate the secretion of ACTH that stimulates the biosynthesis of corticosteroids such as cortisol from cholesterol. Cortisol is a major stress hormone and has effects on many tissues, including on mineralocorticoid receptors and glucocorticoid receptors in the brain. Glucocorticoids produce behavioral changes, and one important target of glucocorticoids is the hypothalamus, which is a major controlling center of the HPA axis. Stress plays a major role in the various pathophysiological processes associated with mood disorders and suicidal behavior. Serotonergic dysfunction is a well-established substrate for mood disorders and suicidal behavior. Corticosteroids may play an important role in the relationship between stress, mood changes and perhaps suicidal behavior by interacting with 5-HT1A receptors. Abnormalities in the HPA axis in response to increased levels of stress are found to be associated with a dysregulation in the serotonergic system, both in subjects with mood disorders and those who engage in suicidal behavior. HPA over-activity may be a good predictor of mood disorders and perhaps suicidal behavior via abnormalities in the serotonergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Pompili
- Department of Psychiatry, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189, Rome, Italy.
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Abstract
This paper is the 29th consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system, now spanning 30 years of research. It summarizes papers published during 2006 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior (Section 2), and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia (Section 3); stress and social status (Section 4); tolerance and dependence (Section 5); learning and memory (Section 6); eating and drinking (Section 7); alcohol and drugs of abuse (Section 8); sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (Section 9); mental illness and mood (Section 10); seizures and neurological disorders (Section 11); electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (Section 12); general activity and locomotion (Section 13); gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (Section 14); cardiovascular responses (Section 15); respiration and thermoregulation (Section 16); and immunological responses (Section 17).
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and Neuropsychology Doctoral Sub-Program, Queens College, City University of New York, CUNY, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367, United States.
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