Peripheral serotonin measures in prepubertal psychiatric inpatients and normal children: associations with suicidal behavior and its risk factors
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BACKGROUND: This study reports relationships between suicidal behavior and its risk factors in prepubertal children and whole blood and platelet serotonin-related measures. METHODS: Seventy-five prepubertal psychiatric inpatients including 23 (30.7%) nonsuicidal, 32 (42.7%) with suicidal ideation, and 20 (26.6%) with a suicide attempt were compared to 35 normal prepubertal controls with regard to platelet serotonin content, serotonin-amplified platelet aggregation, and whole blood tryptophan. RESULTS: Mean whole blood tryptophan content was significantly lower among inpatient children with a recent suicide attempt than among normal controls or inpatients with suicidal ideation (F = 3.94, df = 3.54, p < or = .01). Inpatient children with a mood disorder had significantly higher platelet serotonin content than inpatients without a mood disorder (F = 3.86, df = 2.80, p < or = .03). Racial/ethnic differences were also observed for inpatients and normal controls, with whites having significantly lower levels of platelet serotonin (expressed as ng/mL blood or ng/10(9) platelets) than blacks or Latinos. Blacks had significantly higher levels of whole blood tryptophan than other racial/ethnic groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that whole blood tryptophan and platelet serotonin content should be studied for their predictive validity as risk factors for suicidal behavior in youth while controlling for racial/ethnic differences.
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In adolescents, peripheral markers of serotonin function appear altered.
“In adolescents, peripheral markers of serotonin function also appear altered.”
From Exploring the neurobiological markers of suicidal behaviors in pediatric population: a narrative review (2026) · cites this paper as [27]
Lower plasma and whole-blood serotonin levels, reduced platelet aggregation responses, and diminished tryptophan concentrations have been observed in suicidal youth.
“Lower plasma and whole-blood serotonin levels, reduced platelet aggregation responses, and diminished tryptophan concentrations have all been observed in suicidal youth (26, 27).”
From Exploring the neurobiological markers of suicidal behaviors in pediatric population: a narrative review (2026) · cites this paper as [27]
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- Authors
- Pfeffer, C. R., McBride, P. A., Anderson, G. M., Kakuma, T., Fensterheim, L., & Khait, V.
- Affiliations
- Cornell University (US)
- Yale University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Pfeffer, Cynthia R
- Venue
- Biological Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 1998-10
- Volume
- 44
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 568-577
- ISSN
- 0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2062353129
- Cited by
- 59
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 5.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH30929)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Keywords
- suicidal behavior, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, prepubertal children, platelet serotonin, mood disorders, racial and ethnic differences, suicide risk factors
- MeSH terms
- Mental Disorders, Blood Platelets, Child, Female, Humans, Inpatients, Male, Platelet Aggregation, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Receptors, Serotonin, Risk Factors, Serotonin, Suicide, Suicide, Attempted, Tryptophan, Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders, Mood Disorders
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