title: Serum lipids in suicide attempters.
abstract: As other studies have shown possible associations of low serum cholesterol concentrations as well as serotonin and corticosteroid deviances with suicide or depression, the present study was undertaken to investigate the serum lipid levels in subgroups of suicide attempters. Serum lipids were determined in 72 suicide attempters. Cerebrospinal fluid monoamine metabolites and plasma cortisol levels were measured, and dexamethasone suppression tests were performed. Hopelessness and suicidality were rated by the Hopelessness Scale (HS) and the Suicidal Intent Scales (SIS). The mean total serum cholesterol (TSC) level was 5.0 +/- 1.2 mmol/L. We found no significant correlations between TSC and the monoamine metabolites. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol showed positive correlations with the dopamine metabolite homovanillic acid (r = 0.39, p = 0.04) and the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (r = 0.34, p = 0.07). The SIS and HS scales did not correlate significantly with serum lipids. "Violent" attempters showed somewhat higher serum lipid levels than "nonviolent" attempters. We found no significant differences in serum lipid levels between the diagnostic subgroups. Hence, we could not find much support for the hypothesis of associations between low cholesterol levels and decreased serotonin activity in the brain. However, this field merits further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Lund Suicide Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Engström
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alsén
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Regnéll
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Träskman-Bendz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D012701:Serotonin; D006719:Homovanillic Acid