Low CSF leptin in female suicide attempters with major depression.
BACKGROUND
Leptin is a hormone known to participate in the regulation of weight and appetite and is therefore of interest to examine in the context of major depressive disorder (MDD). Studies of circulating leptin have yielded variable results. We therefore decided to study leptin in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).


METHODS
We measured leptin in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in 72 patients admitted after a suicide attempt. They were divided in two groups: patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and patients with other diagnoses (non-MDD). They were also subgrouped according to the number of suicide attempts (one or repeated) and whether the suicide attempt method was classified as violent or nonviolent. Since CSF leptin was considerably lower in men than in women, statistical calculations were made for men and women separately.


RESULTS
We found that in spite of having similar body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.1), women in the MDD group had lower CSF leptin than those in the non-MDD group (P < 0.01). In contrast, no such difference was found among men. No significant differences were found between women with a first suicide attempt compared to those with a repeated one, or between women with a violent attempt compared to those with a nonviolent attempt.


CONCLUSIONS
The heterogeneity of the non-MDD group including patients with various diagnoses is the most important limitation of our study.


CONCLUSIONS
CSF leptin is involved in the neuroendocrine dysfunction in women with suicide attempt and MDD. This finding contributes to the understanding of the metabolic symptoms in MDD.
Westling
Sofie
S
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Lund University Hospital, 221 85, Sweden. sofie.westling@telia.com
Ahrén
Bo
B
Träskman-Bendz
Lil
L
Westrin
Asa
A
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000172:deficiency*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*
D020738:Leptin