title: Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction as a neurobiological correlate of emotion dysregulation in adolescent suicide.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Biological markers of vulnerability for current or future risk of suicide in adolescents could be important adjuncts to the treatment and prevention of this phenomenon.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a PubMed search of all English-language articles published between January 1990 and June 2011 using the following search terms: ("hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal" OR "HPA") AND ("adolescence" OR "adolescent" OR "teenager") AND ("depression" OR "major depressive disorder" OR "suicidal behavior" OR "suicidal ideation" OR "suicidal thoughts" OR "deliberate self-harm" OR "suicidal attempt" OR "suicide").
  
  
  RESULTS
  HPA axis activity can be examined using different methods that do not have the same biological interpretation. An abnormal HPA axis functioning together with an anomalous interaction between HPA mechanisms and other systems such as the serotonergic system may be one of the neurobiological correlates of emotion dysregulation (ED). ED may play an important role in adolescent suicidal behavior. Some psychopathological conditions such as depression or childhood psychological trauma that increase suicidal risk in adolescents are also associated with HPA axis dysregulation. ED, a personality trait, can also be viewed as a predisposing factor that augments the vulnerability to suffer from psychiatric conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Correlating HPA axis dysfunction with psychological factors such as ED could lead to a better understanding of the role of HPA abnormalities in adolescent suicide and may enhance preventive and treatment strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. mdbraquehais@vhebron.net
authors.forename: María Dolores
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Braquehais
authors.forename: María Dolores
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Picouto
authors.forename: Miquel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casas
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sher
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004644:Emotions; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012307:Risk Factors; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide; D013406:Suicide, Attempted