title: Toxoplasmosis Titers and past Suicide Attempts Among Older Adolescents Initiating SSRI Treatment.
abstract: Latent infection with toxoplasmosis is a prevalent condition that has been linked in animal studies to high-risk behaviors, and in humans, to suicide and suicide attempts. This analysis investigated a relationship between suicide attempt history and toxoplasmosis titers in a group of older adolescents who had recently begun treatment with an SSRI. Of 108 participants, 17 (15.7 %) had a lifetime history of at least one suicide attempt. All were given structured and unstructured diagnostic interviews and provided blood samples. Two individuals (11.9%) with a past suicide attempt, and two (2.1%) without this history, had toxoplasmosis titers ≥ 10 IU/ml (p = 0.166). Those with a past suicide attempt had mean toxoplasmosis titers that were significantly different (p = 0.018) from those of patients who lacked this history. An ROC analysis suggested a lower optimal threshold for distinguishing patients with and without suicide attempts (3.6 IU/ml) than that customarily used to identify seropositivity. Toxoplasmosis titers may quantify a proneness to suicidal behavior in younger individuals being treated with antidepressants.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Coryell
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yolken
authors.forename: Brandon
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Butcher
authors.forename: Trudy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: Lilian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dindo
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schlechte
authors.forename: Chadi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Calarge
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D058345:Asymptomatic Infections; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D012372:ROC Curve; D012307:Risk Factors; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
keywords: mood disorder; suicide attempt; toxoplasmosis