Cholesterol and serotonin indices in depressed and suicidal patients.
BACKGROUND
Prolactin and cortisol responses to d-fenfluramine challenge of central serotonin are reduced in depressed and suicidal patients. Low serum cholesterol levels are also reported in suicidal behavior. Thus, we examined for a relationship between serum cholesterol and fenfluramine challenge responses in patients with depression and/or attempted suicide.


METHODS
We studied 12 patients and six controls. Blood was drawn for baseline serum cholesterol and the d-fenfluramine challenge test performed.


RESULTS
Serum cholesterol levels were significantly lower in suicidal patients than in either non-suicidal patients or controls. However, neither the prolactin nor cortisol responses to d-fenfluramine correlated significantly with serum cholesterol levels.


CONCLUSIONS
No relationship was found between serum cholesterol and these peripheral indices of serotonergic function.
Sarchiapone
M
M
Institute of Psychiatry, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
Camardese
G
G
Roy
A
A
Della Casa
S
S
Satta
M A
MA
Gonzalez
B
B
Berman
J
J
De Risio
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005277:Fenfluramine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
D002784:Cholesterol; D005277:Fenfluramine; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D011388:Prolactin; D012701:Serotonin; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors