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.
Institute of Psychiatry, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
M
M
Sarchiapone
G
G
Camardese
A
A
Roy
S
S
Della Casa
M A
MA
Satta
B
B
Gonzalez
J
J
Berman
S
S
De Risio
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