Exploring the Association between Serum BDNF and Attempted Suicide.
Suicide is a leading cause of death and a significant public health concern. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein important to nervous system function, has been implicated in psychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviour. We investigated the association between serum levels of BDNF and attempted suicide in a sample of 281 participants using a case-control study design. Participants were recruited from clinical and community settings between March 2011 and November 2014. Cases (individuals who had attempted suicide) (n = 84) were matched on sex and age (within five years) to both psychiatric controls (n = 104) and community controls (n = 93) with no history of suicide attempts. We collected fasting blood samples, socio-demographic information, physical measurements, and detailed descriptions of suicide attempts. We used linear regression analysis to determine the association between BDNF level (dependent variable) and attempted suicide (key exposure variable), adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, current smoking status, and antidepressant use. 250 participants were included in this analysis. In the linear regression model, attempted suicide was not significantly associated with BDNF level (β = 0.28, SE = 1.20, P = 0.82). Our findings suggest that no significant association exists between attempted suicide and BDNF level. However, the findings need to be replicated in a larger cohort study.
MiNDS Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada.
Rebecca B
RB
Eisen
Health Research Methodology Graduate Program, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada.|Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada.
Stefan
S
Perera
MiNDS Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada.|St. George's University of London, London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, United Kingdom.
Monica
M
Bawor
Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada.|St. George's University of London, London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, United Kingdom.
Brittany B
BB
Dennis
Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton General Hospital, 237 Barton Street East, Hamilton, ON L8L 2X2, Canada.
Wala
W
El-Sheikh
Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton General Hospital, 237 Barton Street East, Hamilton, ON L8L 2X2, Canada.
Jane
J
DeJesus
Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton General Hospital, 237 Barton Street East, Hamilton, ON L8L 2X2, Canada.
Sumathy
S
Rangarajan
St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, 100 West 5th Street, Hamilton, ON L8N 3K7, Canada.
Judith
J
Vair
St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, 100 West 5th Street, Hamilton, ON L8N 3K7, Canada.
Heather
H
Sholer
St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, 100 West 5th Street, Hamilton, ON L8N 3K7, Canada.
Nicole
N
Hutchinson
St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, 100 West 5th Street, Hamilton, ON L8N 3K7, Canada.
Elizabeth
E
Iordan
Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton General Hospital, 237 Barton Street East, Hamilton, ON L8L 2X2, Canada.
Pam
P
Mackie
Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton General Hospital, 237 Barton Street East, Hamilton, ON L8L 2X2, Canada.
Shofiqul
S
Islam
Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton General Hospital, 237 Barton Street East, Hamilton, ON L8L 2X2, Canada.
Mahshid
M
Dehghan
St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, 100 West 5th Street, Hamilton, ON L8N 3K7, Canada.|Biostatistics Unit, Centre for Evaluation of Medicine, 25 Main Street West Suite 2000, Hamilton, ON L8P 1H1, Canada.
Jennifer
J
Brasch
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada.|Department of Medicine, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada.
Rebecca
R
Anglin
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada.|Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, 50 Charlton Avenue East, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada.
Luciano
L
Minuzzi
Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada.|Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton General Hospital, 237 Barton Street East, Hamilton, ON L8L 2X2, Canada.|St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, 100 West 5th Street, Hamilton, ON L8N 3K7, Canada.|Biostatistics Unit, Centre for Evaluation of Medicine, 25 Main Street West Suite 2000, Hamilton, ON L8P 1H1, Canada.|System-Linked Research Unit on Health and Social Service Utilization, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada.
Lehana
L
Thabane
Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada.|St. George's University of London, London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, United Kingdom.|Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton General Hospital, 237 Barton Street East, Hamilton, ON L8L 2X2, Canada.|Department of Medicine, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada.|Peter Boris Centre for Addiction Research, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, 100 West 5th Street, Hamilton, ON L8P 3R2, Canada.
Zainab
Z
Samaan
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D044967:Serum / Q000737:chemistry*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C579455:BDNF protein, human