5-Hydroxytryptamine 1A Receptors, Major Depression, and Suicidal Behavior

• Published in: Biological psychiatry (1969) Vol. 58; no. 11; pp. 854 - 858
• Main Authors: Pitchot, William, Hansenne, Michel, Pinto, Emmanuel, Reggers, Jean, Fuchs, Sonia, Ansseau, Marc
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.12.2005; Elsevier Science; Elsevier
• Subjects: 5-HT1A receptors; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone - blood; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Biological and medical sciences; Body Temperature - drug effects; Body Temperature - physiology; Body Temperature/drug effects/physiology; Depression; Depressive Disorder, Major - psychology; Female; Hormones - blood; Human health sciences; Humans; Hydrocortisone - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Mood disorders; Piperazines; Piperazines/diagnostic use; Prolactin - blood; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychiatrie; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A - drug effects; Risk Assessment; Sciences de la santé humaine; serotonin; Serotonin Agonists/diagnostic use; Serotonin Receptor Agonists; suicidal behavior; Suicide; Suicide - psychology; Suicide, Attempted; Depression; serotonin; 5-HT1A receptors; suicidal behavior; Mood disorder; Human; 5-HT1A Serotonine receptor; Serotonin; Neurotransmitter; Serotonine receptor; Suicide
• ISSN: 0006-3223; 1873-2402
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.05.042

Several lines of evidence suggest a clear relationship between serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) hypoactivity and suicidal behavior across several psychiatric diagnoses. Few data are available, however, regarding the possible specific role of 5-HT1A receptors in the biology of suicidality. Therefore, the aim of our study was to use a neuroendocrine strategy to test the hypothesis of a role for 5-HT1A receptors in the biology of suicidal behavior. Hormonal (adrenocorticotropic hormone [ACTH], cortisol, prolactin [PRL]) and temperature responses after administration of flesinoxan, a highly potent and selective 5-HT1A receptor full agonist, were assessed in 40 inpatients with major depression, divided into two subgroups (20 suicide attempters and 20 nonattempters), compared with 20 normal control subjects matched for gender and age. Compared with nonattempters, suicide attempters exhibited significantly lower PRL ( p = .01), cortisol ( p = .014), and temperature ( p = .0002) responses. Prolactin ( p = .007), cortisol ( p = .04), and temperature ( p = .00003) responses were also decreased in suicide attempters compared with normal control subjects. In contrast, we did not observe any significant differences in hormonal or temperature responses to flesinoxan between depressed patients without a history of suicide attempt and normal control subjects. The present study tends to confirm the role of 5-HT and more specifically 5-HT1A receptors in the biology of suicidal behavior in major depression.