Preliminary Examination of Gray and White Matter Structure and Longitudinal Structural Changes in Frontal Systems Associated with Future Suicide Attempts in Adolescents and Young Adults with Mood Disorders

Overview

Journal J Affect Disord

Date 2019 Feb 1

PMID 30699858

Citations 17

Authors

Elizabeth T Cox Lippard

Jennifer A Y Johnston

Linda Spencer

Susan Quatrano

Siyan Fan

Anjali Sankar

Judah Weathers

Brian Pittman

Maria A Oquendo

Hilary P Blumberg

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Mood disorders are major risk factors for suicidal behavior. While cross-sectional studies implicate frontal systems, data to aid prediction of suicide-related behavior in mood disorders are limited. Longitudinal research on neuroanatomical mechanisms underlying suicide risk may assist in developing targeted interventions. Therefore, we conducted a preliminary study investigating baseline gray and white matter structure and longitudinal structural changes associated with future suicide attempts.

Methods: High-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, and suicide-related behavioral assessment data for 46 adolescents and young adults with mood disorders [baseline age = 18 years; 61% female] were collected at baseline and at follow-up (interval = 3 years). Differences in baseline and longitudinal changes in gray matter volume and white matter fractional anisotropy in frontal systems that distinguished the participants who made future attempts from those who did not were investigated.

Results: Seventeen (37%) of participants attempted suicide within the follow-up period. Future attempters (those attempting suicide between their baseline and follow-up assessment), compared to those who did not, showed lower baseline ventral and rostral prefrontal gray matter volume and dorsomedial frontal, anterior limb of the internal capsule, and dorsal cingulum fractional anisotropy, as well as greater decreases over time in ventral and dorsal frontal fractional anisotropy (p < 0.005, uncorrected).

Limitations: Sample size was modest.

Conclusions: Results suggest abnormalities of gray and white matter in frontal systems and differences in developmental changes of frontal white matter may increase risk of suicide-related behavior in youths with mood disorders. Findings provide potential new leads for early intervention and prevention strategies.

Citing Articles

Transdiagnostic alterations in white matter microstructure associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviours in the ENIGMA Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviours consortium.

van Velzen L, Colic L, Ceja Z, Dauvermann M, Villa L, Savage H medRxiv. 2025; .

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Functional connectivity density of different suicidal behaviors in adolescents with major depressive disorders.

Zhong H, Zhang J, Mo D, Zheng H, Li M, Liu W Front Psychiatry. 2024; 15:1491042.

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Towards a neurodevelopmental model of bipolar disorder: a critical review of trait- and state-related functional neuroimaging in adolescents and young adults.

Colic L, Sankar A, Goldman D, Kim J, Blumberg H Mol Psychiatry. 2024; 30(3):1089-1101.

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Neuroimaging alterations of the suicidal brain and its relevance to practice: an updated review of MRI studies.

Dobbertin M, Blair K, Carollo E, Blair J, Dominguez A, Bajaj S Front Psychiatry. 2023; 14:1083244.

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Brain grey and white matter structural associations with suicidal ideation and behaviors in adolescent and young adult females with mood disorders.

Colic L, Villa L, Dauvermann M, van Velzen L, Sankar A, Goldman D JCPP Adv. 2023; 2(4).

PMID: 36817186 PMC: 9937714. DOI: 10.1002/jcv2.12118.

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