Serotonin Dysfunction and Suicide Attempts in Major Depressives: An Auditory Event-Related Potential Study

Vol. 52, No. 1, 2005

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Original Paper

Serotonin Dysfunction and Suicide Attempts in Major Depressives: An Auditory Event-Related Potential Study
Tai-Jui Chen^a-c, Younger W.-Y. Yu^d, Ming-Chao Chen^a, Shing-Yaw Wang^a, Shih-Jen Tsai^{e, f}, Tien-Wen Lee^g

^aKai-Suan Psychiatric Hospital,
^bI-Shou University,
^cDepartment of Psychiatry, E-DA Hospital,
^dYu's Psychiatric Clinic, Kaohsiung,
^eDepartment of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital,
^fDivision of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, and
^gDepartment of Psychiatry, Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien City, Taiwan, ROC

Address of Corresponding Author

Neuropsychobiology 2005;52:28-36 (DOI: 10.1159/000086175)

Key Words

Major depression
Suicide attempt
Event-related potential
Loudness-dependent auditory evoked potential
P300

Abstract

Background: Serotonergic dysfunction is believed to be involved in suicide attempts. The loudness-dependent auditory evoked potential (LDAEP) is one of the validated indicators of the activity of the central serotonin system in humans. Objectives: This study was designed to investigate possible differences in the LDAEP and P300 between those depressed patients who attempted suicide and those who did not. Methods: The LDAEP and P300 levels were recorded for 66 depressive patients (among which 16 had attempted suicide). Results: Those who had attempted suicide showed a sharper slope of the LDAEP and increased frontal P300 amplitude. A high correlation between the LDAEP and P300, and a gender difference were also noted. Conclusions: Our results are concordant with previous assumptions about serotonin dysfunction in depressives who attempt suicide.

Author Contacts

Dr. Tien-Wen Lee
47, St. George's Avenue
London N7 OAJ (UK)
Tel. +44 20 7679 2187, Fax +44 20 7679 2195, E-Mail tien-wen.lee@ucl.ac.uk

Article Information

Published online: June 3, 2005
Number of Print Pages : 9
Number of Figures : 3, Number of Tables : 3, Number of References : 43

Medline Abstract (ID 15942261)

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