Suicides in Mood Disorders in Psychiatric Settings in Nordic National Register-Based Studies

Objective Although risk factors for nonfatal suicidal behavior in mood disorders have been vastly investigated, rate and risk factors of suicide deaths are less well known. Extensive health care and other population registers in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) allow national-level studies of suicide rates and risk factors. This systematic review examined Nordic studies of suicide in mood disorders. Methods National Nordic studies published after 1.1.2000 reporting on suicide mortality or relative risk in diagnosed unipolar depression or bipolar disorder treated in psychiatric settings; temporal variations in suicide risk after discharge, or risk factors for suicide were systematically reviewed. Results Altogether 16 longitudinal studies reported on rate and risk of suicide in depression. They found 2%-8% of psychiatric inpatients with depression to have died by suicide. However, in Finland suicide risk among depressive inpatients halved since the early 1990s. Nine studies investigated suicide risk in bipolar disorder, finding 4%-long term. The relative risk of suicide was consistently found extremely high (SMR > 100) during the first weeks postdischarge, declining steeply over time to approximately SMR of five after five years. Male gender, preceding suicide attempts, high severity of depression and substance abuse were found risk factors for suicide in depression, with only minor gender differences in risk factors, but major differences in lethal methods. Three studies investigated risk factors for suicide in bipolar disorder, finding male gender, preceding suicide attempts, and depressive episodes and psychiatric comorbidity to be associated with risk. Conclusions Overall, of psychiatric inpatients with depressive of bipolar disorders in the Nordic countries, 2%-8% have died by suicide in the last few decades, but current rates may be lower. Suicide risk is approximately similar or somewhat higher among patients with bipolar disorder, risk factor studies of whom are fewer. Risk of suicide is remarkably high immediately after discharge, and higher among males than females, those with preceding suicide attempts, high severity of depression, or concurrent substance abuse. Generalizability of findings from these Nordic studies to other countries need to be investigated, and their methodological limitations understood.Peer reviewe

Borderline Personality Disorder With Depression Confers Significant Risk of Suicidal Behavior in Mood Disorder Patients—A Comparative Study

ObjectiveWe investigated risk factors for suicidal ideation and behavior among currently depressed patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), major depressive episode (MDE) in bipolar disorder (BD), or MDE with comorbid borderline personality disorder (MDE/BPD). We compared current and lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation and behavior, and investigated dimensional measures of BPD or mixed affective features of the MDE as indicators of risk.MethodsBased on screening of 1,655 referrals, we recruited 124 psychiatric secondary care outpatients with MDE and stratified them into three subcohorts (MDD, BD, and MDE/BPD) using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV I and II. We examined suicidal ideation and behavior with the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (CSSRS). In addition, we quantified the severity of BPD symptoms and BD mixed features both categorically/diagnostically and dimensionally (using instruments such as the Borderline Personality Disorder Severity Index) in two time frames.ResultsThere were highly significant differences between the lifetime prevalences of suicide attempts between the subcohorts, with attempts reported by 16% of the MDD, 30% of the BD, and 60% of the BPD subcohort. Remarkably, the lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts in patients with comorbid BD and BPD exceeded 90%. The severity of BPD features was independently associated with risk of suicide attempts both lifetime and during the current MDE. It also associated in a dose-dependent manner with recent severity of ideation in both BPD and non-BPD patients. In multinominal logistic regression models, hopelessness was the most consistent independent risk factor for severe suicidal ideation in both time frames, whereas younger age and more severe BPD features were most consistently associated with suicide attempts.ConclusionsAmong patients with major depressive episodes, diagnosis of bipolar disorder, or presence of comorbid borderline personality features both imply remarkably high risk of suicide attempts. Risk factors for suicidal ideation and suicidal acts overlap, but may not be identical. The estimated severity of borderline personality features seems to associate with history of suicidal behavior and current severity of suicidal ideation in dose-dependent fashion among all mood disorder patients. Therefore, reliable assessment of borderline features may advance the evaluation of suicide risk.Peer reviewe

Escitalopram enhances synchrony of brain responses during emotional narratives in patients with major depressive disorder

One-week treatment with escitalopram decreases amygdala responses to fearful facial expressions in depressed patients, but it remains unknown whether it also modulates processing of complex and freely processed emotional stimuli resembling daily life emotional situations. Inter-subject correlation (ISC) offers a means to track brain activity during complex, dynamic stimuli in a model-free manner. Twenty-nine treatment-seeking patients with major depressive disorder were randomized in a double-blind study design to receive either escitalopram or placebo for one week, after which functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed. During fMRI the participants listened to spoken emotional narratives. Level of ISC between the escitalopram and the placebo group was compared across all the narratives and separately for the episodes with positive and negative valence. Across all the narratives, the escitalopram group had higher ISC in the default mode network of the brain as well as in the fronto-temporal narrative processing regions, whereas lower ISC was seen in the middle temporal cortex, hippocampus and occipital cortex. Escitalopram increased ISC during positive parts of the narratives in the precuneus, medial prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate and fronto-insular cortex, whereas there was no significant synchronization in brain responses to positive vs negative events in the placebo group. Increased ISC may imply improved emotional synchronization with others, particularly during observation of positive events. Further studies are needed to test whether this contributes to the later therapeutic effect of escitalopram.Peer reviewe

Short-term escitalopram treatment normalizes aberrant self-referential processing in major depressive disorder

Background: Increased self-focus and negative self-concept play an important role in depression. Antidepressants influence self-referential processing in healthy volunteers, but their function in self-processing of depressed patients remains unknown. Methods: Thirty-two depressed patients were randomly allocated to receive either escitalopram 10 mg or placebo for one week. After one week, neural responses to positive and negative self-referential adjectives and neutral control stimuli were assessed with functional magnetic resonance imaging. A group of matched healthy volunteers served as a control group. Results: Escitalopram decreased responses of medial fronto-parietal regions to self-referential words relative to non-emotional control stimuli, driven by increased responses to the control condition. Escitalopram also increased responses in the pre-defined region of the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) to positive relative to negative words. Importantly, the changes in neural responses occurred before any effect on depressive symptoms, implying a direct effect of escitalopram. Furthermore, the placebo group had decreased responses of the MPFC and the ACC to positive self-referential processing relative to the matched healthy controls. However, neural responses of the escitalopram group and the healthy unmedicated controls were similar. Limitations: Differences between the groups in self-reported depression symptoms and personality traits may have influenced the results. Conclusion: One-week treatment with escitalopram normalized aberrant self-referential processing in depressed patients, shifting the focus from the self to the external environment and potentiating positive self-referential processing. This may be an important factor in mechanism of action of antidepressants.Peer reviewe

Escitalopram enhances synchrony of brain responses during emotional narratives in patients with major depressive disorder

One-week treatment with escitalopram decreases amygdala responses to fearful facial expressions in depressed patients, but it remains unknown whether it also modulates processing of complex and freely processed emotional stimuli resembling daily life emotional situations. Inter-subject correlation (ISC) offers a means to track brain activity during complex, dynamic stimuli in a model-free manner.& nbsp; Twenty-nine treatment-seeking patients with major depressive disorder were randomized in a double-blind study design to receive either escitalopram or placebo for one week, after which functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed. During fMRI the participants listened to spoken emotional narratives. Level of ISC between the escitalopram and the placebo group was compared across all the narratives and separately for the episodes with positive and negative valence.& nbsp; & nbsp;Across all the narratives, the escitalopram group had higher ISC in the default mode network of the brain as well as in the fronto-temporal narrative processing regions, whereas lower ISC was seen in the middle temporal cortex, hippocampus and occipital cortex. Escitalopram increased ISC during positive parts of the narratives in the precuneus, medial prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate and fronto-insular cortex, whereas there was no significant synchronization in brain responses to positive vs negative events in the placebo group. Increased ISC may imply improved emotional synchronization with others, particularly during observation of positive events. Further studies are needed to test whether this contributes to the later therapeutic effect of escitalopram

State and trait hopelessness in a prospective five-year study of patients with depressive disorders

Background: Hopelessness is a common experience of patients with depressive disorders (DD) and an important predictor of suicidal behaviour. However, stability and factors explaining state and trait variation of hopelessness in patients with DD over time are poorly known. Methods: Patients with DD (n = 406) from the Vantaa Depression Study and the Vantaa Primary Care Depression Study filled in the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Perceived Social Support Scale-Revised (PSSS-R), and Eysenck Personality Inventory-Q (EPI-Q) at baseline, at six and eighteen months, and at five years. We conducted a multilevel linear regression analyses predicting BHS with these covariates. Results: During the five-year follow-up half of the variance in BHS was attributable to between-patient variance (50.6%, CI = 41.2-61.5%), and the rest arose from within-patient variance and measurement errors. BDI and BAI explained 5.6% of within-patient and 28.4% of between-patient variance of BHS. High Neuroticism and low Extraversion explained 2.6% of the between-patient variance of BHS. PSSS-R explained 5% of between-patient variance and 1.7% of within-patient variance of BHS. Limitations: No treatment effects were controlled. Conclusions: Hopelessness varies markedly over time both within and between patients with depression; it is both state-and trait-related. Concurrent depressive and anxiety symptoms and low social support explain both state and trait variance, whereas high Neuroticism and low Extraversion explain only trait variance of hopelessness. These variations influence the utility of hopelessness as an indicator of suicide risk.Peer reviewe

The Mood Disorder Questionnaire improves recognition of bipolar disorder in psychiatric care

BACKGROUND: We investigated our translation of The Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) as a screening instrument for bipolar disorder in a psychiatric setting in Finland. METHODS: In a pilot study for the Jorvi Bipolar Study (JoBS), 109 consecutive non-schizophrenic psychiatric out- and inpatients in Espoo, Finland, were screened for bipolar disorder using the Finnish translation of the MDQ, and 38 of them diagnostically interviewed with the SCID. RESULTS: Forty subjects (37%) were positive in the MDQ screen. In the SCID interview, twenty patients were found to suffer from bipolar disorder, of whom seven (70%) of ten patients with bipolar I but only two (20%) of ten with bipolar II disorder had been previously clinically correctly diagnosed. The translated MDQ was found internally consistent (alpha 0.79) and a feasible screening tool. CONCLUSIONS: Bipolar disorder, particularly type II, remains commonly unrecognized in psychiatric settings. The Mood Disorder Questionnaire is a feasible screen for bipolar disorder, which could well be integrated into psychiatric routine practice

Level of suicidal intent predicts overall mortality and suicide after attempted suicide: a 12-year follow-up study

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to comprehensively examine clinical risk factors, including suicide intent and hopelessness, for suicide and risk of death from all causes after attempted suicide over a 12-year follow-up period. METHODS: A systematic sample of 224 patients from consecutive cases of attempted suicide referred to health care in four Finnish cities between 1 January and 31 July 1990 was interviewed. RESULTS: After 12 years of follow-up 22% of these patients had died, 8% by committing suicide. The only statistically significant risk factor for eventual suicide was high scores on Beck's Suicidal Intention Scale. Male gender, older age, physical illness or disability and high scores on Beck's Suicidal Intention Scale predicted death overall. CONCLUSIONS: Following attempted suicide, high intention to kill oneself is a significant risk factor for both death from all causes and suicide

Association between solar insolation and a history of suicide attempts in bipolar I disorder

In many international studies, rates of completed suicide and suicide attempts have a seasonal pattern that peaks in spring or summer. This exploratory study investigated the association between solar insolation and a history of suicide attempt in patients with bipolar I disorder. Solar insolation is the amount of electromagnetic energy from the Sun striking a surface area on Earth. Data were collected previously from 5536 patients with bipolar I disorder at 50 collection sites in 32 countries at a wide range of latitudes in both hemispheres. Suicide related data were available for 3365 patients from 310 onset locations in 51 countries. 1047 (31.1%) had a history of suicide attempt. There was a significant inverse association between a history of suicide attempt and the ratio of mean winter solar insolation/mean summer solar insolation. This ratio is smallest near the poles where the winter insolation is very small compared to the summer insolation. This ratio is largest near the equator where there is relatively little variation in the insolation over the year. Other variables in the model that were positively associated with suicide attempt were being female, a history of alcohol or substance abuse, and being in a younger birth cohort. Living in a country with a state-sponsored religion decreased the association. (All estimated coefficients p <0.01). In summary, living in locations with large changes in solar insolation between winter and summer may be associated with increased suicide attempts in patients with bipolar disorder. Further investigation of the impacts of solar insolation on the course of bipolar disorder is needed.Peer reviewe