Cited by 48Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Ventromedial prefrontal value signals and functional connectivity during decision-making in suicidal behavior and impulsivity

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Brown, Vanessa M., Wilson, Jonathan, Hallquist, Michael N., Szanto, Katalin, Dombrovski, Alexandre Y.·2020·Neuropsychopharmacology

Abstract

Suicide is linked to impaired value-based decision-making and impulsivity, but whether these risk factors share neural underpinnings is unclear. Disrupted ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) value signals may underlie this behavioral phenotype. We investigated vmPFC value signals, vmPFC–frontoparietal connectivity, and the impact of impulsivity during decision-making in depressed individuals with and without suicidal behavior. Middle-aged and older adults ( n = 116; 35 with a history of suicide attempts, 25 with ideation only, 25 depressed controls with no ideation, and 31 nonpsychiatric controls) completed a decision-making task with drifting reward probabilities during fMRI. Values of choices, estimated by a reinforcement learning model, were regressed against BOLD signal. VmPFC value activation was compared between groups. Moderating effects of impulsivity on vmPFC–frontoparietal connectivity were assessed in nonpsychiatric controls and compared among patient groups. VmPFC value responses in participants with a history of suicide attempts were reduced relative to nonpsychiatric controls ( p < 0.05). In nonpsychiatric controls, vmPFC–frontoparietal connectivity was negatively moderated by impulsivity ( p FWE corrected < 0.05). This effect was preserved in comparison patient groups but abolished in suicide attempters ( p < 0.001). This change in neural connectivity patterns also affected behavior: people with a history of suicide attempts showed a disrupted effect of vmPFC–frontoparietal connectivity, impulsivity, and reinforcement on choice quality ( p < 0.001). These effects were specific to vmPFC and not to striatum. In summary, findings from this study largely support disrupted vmPFC value signals in suicidal behavior. In addition, it uncovers an altered pattern of vmPFC–frontoparietal connectivity in impulsive people with suicidal behavior, which may underlie disrupted choice processes in a suicidal crisis.

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  • These studies have mostly assessed suicide risk in larger clinical samples of participants diagnosed with mood disorders and other psychiatric conditions with which suicide is a comorbid phenotype, but rarely have they investigated suicide transdiagnostically.

    “Finally, these studies have mostly assessed suicide risk in larger clinical samples of participants diagnosed with mood disorders (64–75) and other psychiatric conditions (76–79) with which suicide is a comorbid phenotype, but rarely have they investigated suicide transdiagnostically.”

    From New methods for assessing rapid changes in suicide risk (2021) · cites this paper as [70]

  • Depressed adults with a history of suicide attempt have reduced ventromedial prefrontal cortex value signaling compared to non-psychiatric controls during a reinforcement learning paradigm.

    “depressed adults with a history of suicide attempt were found to have reduced ventromedial prefrontal cortex value signaling”

    From New methods for assessing rapid changes in suicide risk (2021) · cites this paper as [70]

  • Depressed adults with a history of suicide attempt have disrupted ventromedial prefrontal cortex-frontoparietal connectivity compared to non-psychiatric controls during a reinforcement learning paradigm.

    “and disrupted ventromedial prefrontal cortex-frontoparietal connectivity compared to non-psychiatric controls (70).”

    From New methods for assessing rapid changes in suicide risk (2021) · cites this paper as [70]

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Authors
Brown, V. M., Wilson, J., Hallquist, M. N., Szanto, K., & Dombrovski, A. Y.
Affiliations
  • University of Pittsburgh (US)
  • Pennsylvania State University (US)
Corresponding author
Dombrovski, Alexandre Y.
Venue
Neuropsychopharmacology
Published
2020-02-08
Volume
45
Issue
6
Pages
1034-1041
ISSN
  • 0893-133X (ISSN-L)
  • 1740-634X
OpenAlex
W3004480931
Cited by
48
References
47
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 2
FWCI
2.39
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuropsychopharmacology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH085651, R01MH100095, R01MH048463)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
suicide, suicidal behavior, impulsivity, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, value signals, frontoparietal connectivity, value-based decision making, reward probability, reinforcement learning models, depression, suicide attempts, suicidal ideation
MeSH terms
Aged, Choice Behavior, Decision Making, Humans, Impulsive Behavior, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Middle Aged, Reward, Suicide, Attempted, Prefrontal Cortex, Suicidal Ideation

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