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. 2018 Jul;138(1):55-61.
doi: 10.1111/acps.12897. Epub 2018 May 22.

Dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels in combat veterans with or without a history of suicide attempt

L Sher  1   2 , J Flory  1   2 , L Bierer  1   2 , I Makotkine  1   2 , R Yehuda  1   2
Affiliations

Dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels in combat veterans with or without a history of suicide attempt

L Sher et al. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2018 Jul.

Abstract

Objective: The goal of this study was to determine whether combat veterans who have made a suicide attempt postdeployment can be distinguished from combat veterans who have never made a suicide attempt based on differences in psychological and biological variables.

Methods: Demographic and clinical parameters of suicide attempters and non-attempters were assessed. Blood samples were assayed for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS).

Results: Suicide attempters had higher Scale for Suicidal Ideation and Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)-suicidal thoughts item scores in comparison with non-attempters. There was a trend toward higher MADRS scores in the suicide attempter group compared with non-attempters. Suicide attempters had significantly lower levels of DHEA and DHEAS compared with non-attempters. Scale for Suicidal Ideation scores in all study participants combined negatively correlate with DHEA and DHEAS levels. DHEAS levels negatively correlate with Scale for Suicidal Ideation scores in suicide non-attempters but not in suicide attempters. DHEA/DHEAS ratios positively correlate with total adolescence aggression scores, total adulthood aggression scores, and total aggression scale scores in suicide attempters but not in suicide non-attempters.

Conclusion: There are psychobiological differences between combat veterans with or without a history of suicidal behaviour.

Keywords: depression; neuroendocrinology; suicide.

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