title: Serum triglycerides, but not cholesterol or leptin, are decreased in suicide attempters with mood disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many peripheral biomarkers, including low cholesterol and its fractions, have been examined to identify suicidal behavior. Herein, we assessed serum lipid profile and some proteins putatively associated with suicidal behavior in subjects with mood disorder (bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder) with a recent suicide attempt and with no lifetime history of suicide attempts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty subjects had presented an episode of attempted suicide during the last 15 days, and 36 subjects had no history of any suicide attempt. We measured total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglycerides as well as serum leptin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), S100B and C-reactive protein (CRP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals that had attempted suicide presented decreased body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. After adjusting for these confounders, we found that triglycerides were decreased in attempted suicide subjects. We found no differences among total cholesterol, LDL, and HDL or leptin, S100B, CRP and BDNF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is a cross-sectional study, and we cannot therefore assess whether a decrease in triglycerides caused a mood episode with suicidal ideation that led to a suicide attempt or if the presence of a mood episode originated a loss of appetite and consequent loss of weight, therefore decreasing triglyceride levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results do not support the hypothesis that lower levels of cholesterol are associated with suicidal behavior in a mood disorder sample. However, our data support the idea that adiposity is differentiated in these patients (reduced BMI, waist circumference and serum triglycerides), which could lead to an altered communication between the adipose tissue and brain.
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul,Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: da Graça Cantarelli
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Calcium Binding Proteins in the Central Nervous System, Post Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nardin
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andréia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buffon
authors.affiliation: Study Center José de Barros Falcão, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Murilo Castilhos
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Eidt
authors.affiliation: São José Psychiatric Clinic, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Antônio Godoy
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Calcium Binding Proteins in the Central Nervous System, Post Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Brisa S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul,Porto Alegre, Brazil; Laboratory of Calcium Binding Proteins in the Central Nervous System, Post Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Electronic address: casg@ufrgs.br.
authors.forename: Carlos-Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D020738:Leptin; D014280:Triglycerides; C579455:BDNF protein, human; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Cholesterol; Leptin; Mood affective disorders; Suicide; Triglycerides