title: Candidate endophenotypes for genetic studies of suicidal behavior.
abstract: Twin, adoption, and family studies have established the heritability of suicide attempts and suicide. Identifying specific suicide diathesis-related genes has proven more difficult. As with psychiatric disorders in general, methodological difficulties include complexity of the phenotype for suicidal behavior and distinguishing suicide diathesis-related genes from genes associated with mood disorders and other suicide-associated psychiatric illness. Adopting an endophenotype approach involving identification of genes associated with heritable intermediate phenotypes, including biological and/or behavioral markers more proximal to genes, is an approach being used for other psychiatric disorders. Therefore, a workshop convened by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University, and the National Institute of Mental Health sought to identify potential target endophenotypes for genetic studies of suicidal behavior. The most promising endophenotypes were trait aggression/impulsivity, early-onset major depression, neurocognitive function, and cortisol social stress response. Other candidate endophenotypes requiring further investigation include serotonergic neurotransmission, second messenger systems, and borderline personality disorder traits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, NewYork State Psychiatric Institute/ColumbiaUniversity, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA. jjm@columbia.edu
authors.forename: J John
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: Victoria A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Arango
authors.forename: Shelli
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Avenevoli
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Brent
authors.forename: Frances A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Champagne
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clayton
authors.forename: Dianne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Currier
authors.forename: Donald M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Dougherty
authors.forename: Fatemah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haghighi
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Hodge
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kleinman
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lehner
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: McMahon
authors.forename: Eve K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Mościcki
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Oquendo
authors.forename: Ganshayam N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Pandey
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stanley
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Terwilliger
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wenzel
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000235:genetics; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000235:genetics; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000235:genetics; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D015290:Second Messenger Systems; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D006854:Hydrocortisone