title: alpha-[11C]Methyl-L-tryptophan trapping in the orbital and ventral medial prefrontal cortex of suicide attempters.
abstract: Low serotonin neurotransmission is thought to increase vulnerability to suicidal behavior. To test this hypothesis, we measured brain regional serotonin synthesis, as indexed by PET and alpha-[(11)C]methyl-L-tryptophan trapping, in 10 patients who had made a high-lethality suicide attempt and 16 healthy controls. Compared to healthy controls, suicide attempters had reduced normalized alpha-[(11)C]methyl-L-tryptophan trapping in orbital and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. alpha-[(11)C]Methyl-L-tryptophan trapping in these regions correlated negatively with suicide intent. Low serotonin synthesis in the prefrontal cortex might lower the threshold for suicidal behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 1033 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 1A1.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leyton
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Paquette
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gravel
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rosa-Neto
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Weston
authors.forename: Mirko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diksic
authors.forename: Chawki
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benkelfat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C020774:alpha-methyltryptophan; D014364:Tryptophan