title: 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid in cerebrospinal fluid and prediction of suicidal behaviour in schizophrenia.
abstract: Low concentrations of the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are associated with suicidal behaviour in patients with depressive illness, but studies of the relation between CSF 5-HIAA and suicide in schizophrenia have been inconclusive and have not included long-term follow-up. In a prospective study, we measured 5-HIAA in CSF taken from 30 schizophrenic patients in a drug-free state, and followed these patients for 11 years. 10 patients made suicide attempts during follow-up. Suicide attempters had significantly lower concentrations of CSF 5-HIAA at initial evaluation than non-attempters (mean [SE] 6.7 [2.2] vs 23.6 [5.6] ng/ml, p < 0.05). Our findings provide further evidence of the relation between serotoninergic dysfunction and suicide, and suggest a role for drugs with serotoninergic effects in schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Queen's University of Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: King
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid