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Role of dopamine in non-depressed patients with a history of suicide attempts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

W. Pitchot ,
M. Hansenne  and
M. Ansseau
W. Pitchot*
Affiliation:
Psychiatric Unit, CHU Sart Tilman, B-4000Liège, Belgium
M. Hansenne
Affiliation:
Psychiatric Unit, CHU Sart Tilman, B-4000Liège, Belgium
M. Ansseau
Affiliation:
Psychiatric Unit, CHU Sart Tilman, B-4000Liège, Belgium
*
*Correspondence and reprints.
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Summary

Several data are available about the implication of the dopaminergic system in the control of inward-directed aggression. Previously, we suggested an involvement of D2-dopaminergic function in the expression of suicidal behavior by demonstrating a smaller growth hormone (GH) response to apomorphine, a dopaminergic agonist, in depressed patients with a history of suicide attempts in comparison to non-attempters. In the present study, in order to test this hypothesis, GH responses to intravenous apomorphine were measured in non-depressed patients with a history of suicide attempts. The study was performed in 17 non-depressed male patients with a score less than 12 on the 17-item HAMD. The patients were subgrouped into suicide attempters (N = 7) and non-attempters (N = 10). Mean GH peak responses to apomorphine differed significantly between suicide attempters and non-attempters: (mean ± SD) for GH peak, 10.4 ± 8.2 ng/mL vs 27.3 ± 13.1 ng/ml, F = 9.0, P = 0.009. In conclusion, dopaminergic disturbances seem to play a role in the biology of inward-directed aggression in non-depressed patients.

Keywords

depressiondopaminemonoaminesuicide
Type
Short Communications
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 16 , Issue 7 , November 2001 , pp. 424 - 427
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2001

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