Cited by 214Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

A brain-centric model of suicidal behavior

Open access
Mann, J. John, Rizk, Mina M.·2020·American Journal of Psychiatry

Abstract

The suicide death toll is alarmingly high, outnumbering deaths from war and homicide worldwide (1). Many factors contribute to suicide death, making it difficult to prevent because it is much more than a response to life stressors. Campaigns to lower U.S. suicide rates by 20% by 2025, and even to zero, confront hard realities such as not knowing why the annual suicide rate in the United States has risen every year since 2000 (2). The concurrent fall in suicide rates worldwide (1) is largely driven by restricting access to one highly lethal suicide method, namely, pesticides, which are commonly used in a few very populous countries, including China, India, and Sri Lanka (3-5). That approach saves lives without addressing the reasons people want to die by suicide. Currently empirically proven suicide prevention methods (Figure 1) include 1) better training of nonpsychiatrist physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of depression, the most common psychiatric disorder associated with suicide (6); 2) better outreach during the highest risk period, after suicidal patients are discharged from hospital or the emergency department (7); and 3) means restriction, focused on the commonest methods in each country (8). To prevent suicide in the short term, we need to scale up the use of these proven methods. To use these methods more effectively, we need to know who is at risk and when the risk is greater. Progress in both domains has stalled. Rehashing older approaches does not improve suicide risk assessment or prevention (9). While universal approaches like training primary care physicians to manage depression and means restriction work (10), for targeted prevention approaches we need to find new risk detection methods. The explosion of new information about the causes of suicidal behavior (11) needs to be built into a

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

Mann proposes a brain-centric stress-diathesis model in which suicide risk arises from the interaction of acute stressors with suicide-related traits—subjective distress, altered decision making, neuropsychological deficits, and social distortions—linked to specific neural circuitry, neurotransmitter, stress-response, neurotrophic, and inflammatory abnormalities. The paper argues that suicidal behavior should be considered a distinct mental disorder and that these diathesis-related biological pathways can guide risk detection and prevention.

Key findings

  • The stress-diathesis model identifies four risk-moderating trait domains: excessive subjective distress/attentional bias, altered decision making with impulsive-aggressive tendencies, neuropsychological abnormalities (learning, cognitive rigidity, memory), and social distortions such as thwarted belongingness.
  • Biological correlates include deficient serotonin release: low CSF 5-HIAA predicts suicide risk in depressed individuals with an odds ratio of 4.6; up-regulated serotonin 1A autoreceptors are associated with fatal and nonfatal suicide attempts.
  • Clinical/prevention findings cited include that major depressive episodes account for about 60% of psychiatric diagnoses in suicide decedents, suicide death rate is 300 times higher in the first week and 200 times higher in the first month after inpatient psychiatric discharge versus the general population, and over 80% of suicide attempt survivors do not end up dying by suicide.
  • Around 60% of individuals denying suicidal ideation on weekly self-report reported suicidal thoughts using ecological momentary assessment delivered six times a day over the same 1-week period; a recent review reported 40 genes associated with suicidal behavior independently of psychiatric diagnoses.

Methods

  • Design: conceptual/review article presenting a heuristic brain-centric stress-diathesis model of suicidal behavior; no primary experimental study is reported.
  • Data/sample: synthesis of prior human genetic, epigenetic, neuroimaging, neurotransmitter, stress-response, neurotrophic, inflammatory, clinical, and treatment literature; no new sample or dataset is described.
  • Main analysis: narrative integration of cited findings into a model linking stressors, diathesis traits, neural circuitry, and prevention targets; no systematic review, meta-analysis, or statistical analysis is reported.

Limitations

  • Paper-stated limitations include that passive sensing/phonotype approaches lack replicated data on prediction of suicidal behavior risk; longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether fluctuating suicide risk correlates with inflammation; ketamine has never been tested for preventing suicidal behavior; and rTMS results are preliminary because most studies have small sample sizes and lack control groups.
  • The paper also notes mixed or inconclusive evidence in several domains, including neuroimaging studies of suicidal behavior and ideation disagreeing about details, DTI studies of suicidal ideation being inconclusive, and mixed results for HPA axis abnormalities and suicidal ideation.
  • Evident from the text: as a narrative review/model paper, it does not use a systematic search strategy or quantitative synthesis, and many cited genetic, neuroimaging, and biomarker findings remain unreplicated or heterogeneous.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.20081224

Cites

300 of 300 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

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  • Premisecitation

    Suicidal behavior is the outcome of an interaction between acute stressors or proximal risk factors and a diathesis or distal factors.

    “The stress-diathesis model (13, 14) depicts suicidal behavior as a consequence of an interaction between acute stressors or proximal risk factors and a diathesis or distal factors (Figure 1).”
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  • Premisecitation
    § A Brain-Centric Model of Suicidal Behavior

    Only a minority of psychiatric patients make suicide attempts.

    “Second, only a minority of psychiatric patients make suicide attempts, and the presence or absence of suicidal behavior is not simply determined by the presence of a psychiatric illness or the overall severity of illness (12-14).”
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  • Premisecitation
    § A Brain-Centric Model of Suicidal Behavior

    Suicidal behavior appears in many psychiatric disorders, not only in mood disorders and borderline personality disorder.

    “First, suicidal behavior is found in many psychiatric disorders and not just in mood disorders and borderline personality disorder, where it is part of the diagnostic symptom list.”
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  • Premisecitation

    Combining GWAS with transcriptome data indicates that suicide-related genes are associated with inflammation, the HPA axis, GABA and glutamate neurotransmission, and neurogenesis.

    “Combining GWASs with transcriptome data indicates that suicide-related genes are associated with inflammation, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate neurotransmission, and neurogenesis (51-56).”
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    • cites [54] Haghighi F, 2015, Front Neurol source

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  • Premisecitation

    Suicide risk may be mediated by genetic and epigenetic effects of stress response genes.

    “Suicide risk may be mediated by genetic and epigenetic effects of stress response genes (58-61).”
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    Premisecitation

    Impaired decision making and related brain circuit changes are observed in healthy relatives of suicide decedents, consistent with familial transmission of an endophenotype for suicide risk.

    “Impaired decision making (36) and related brain circuit changes (37) are also observed in healthy relatives of suicide decedents, consistent with familial transmission of an endophenotype for suicide risk.”
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    Premisecitation

    Learning deficits in suicide attempters scale with attempt lethality and are partly explained by impaired cognitive control.

    “These learning deficits scale with attempt lethality and are partially explained by impaired cognitive control (34), the most consistent deficit found in suicide attempters (17, 22, 24).”
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    Premisecitation

    Memory deficits in suicide attempters include impaired working memory and long-term memory and a shift from specific to more general autobiographical memory.

    “Memory deficits in suicide attempters include impaired working memory and long-term memory and a shift from specific to more general autobiographical memory (18, 23).”
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    Premisecitation

    Suicide attempters exhibit less language fluency and learning.

    “- Suicide attempters exhibit less language fluency and learning (38) and impaired deterministic learning in the context of complex unambiguous environments (39).”
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    Premisecitation

    Subjective distress is linked to familial transmission of suicidal behavior and includes hopelessness and subjective depression, which are more severe in depressed suicide attempters than in depressed nonattempters.

    “- Subjective distress is linked to familial transmission of suicidal behavior and encompasses hopelessness and subjective depression, which are more severe in depressed suicide attempters compared with depressed nonattempters (27).”
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    • cites [27] Mann JJ, 2016, Arch Suicide Res source

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    Premisecitation
    § A Brain-Centric Model of Suicidal Behavior

    Suicidal ideation is much more common than suicidal behavior and often does not progress to behavior.

    “Suicidal ideation is much more prevalent than suicidal behavior, and it often does not progress to suicidal behavior (15).”
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    Interpretationcitation

    Thwarted belongingness may deter help-seeking, amplify sensitivity to social rejection, and impair social integration, all of which enhance suicidal ideation and behavior.

    “A perceived lack of reciprocally caring relationships, also known as thwarted belongingness, may deter help-seeking (41), amplify sensitivity to social rejection (42), and impair social integration (43), and all enhance suicidal ideation and behavior.”
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    • cites [41] Barnes LS, 2001, Suicide Life Threat Behav source

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    Premisecitation

    High-lethality attempters show less delayed discounting and perform better on an object alternation task, indicating greater executive control and response organization.

    “High-lethality attempters have greater impairment of reward learning, hampering the search for alternative solutions (34), but they have less delayed discounting (i.e., they can suppress the desire for immediate satisfaction in favor of delayed reward) (35) and perform better on an object alternation task, indicating greater executive control and response organization (25).”
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    Premisereasoning

    Other studies have reported lower rs-fMRI activity and functional connectivity, probably due to different outcome measures and heterogeneity of suicidal ideation.

    “However, other studies have reported lower rs-fMRI activity and functional connectivity (85, 86, 92, 93), probably due to use of different outcome measures of rs-fMRI activity, for example, regional homogeneity, fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations among studies, and heterogeneity of suicidal ideation.”
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    Premisecitation

    Adolescent suicidal behavior mostly involves smaller ventral PFC regions, particularly the OFC, which correlates with greater attempt lethality.

    “Adolescent suicidal behavior mostly involves smaller ventral PFC regions, particularly the OFC (74), which correlates with greater attempt lethality (75).”
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    Premisecitation

    Suicide attempters have less OFC and rACC activity in response to positive facial expressions and greater lateral OFC activity in response to angry facial expressions.

    “Suicide attempters also have less OFC and rACC activity in response to positive facial expressions (78) and greater lateral OFC activity in response to angry facial expressions (95, 97, 104).”
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    Interpretationcitation

    Suicidal ideation-related increased frontal-subcortical connectivity may be confined to ideators who do not attempt suicide, because better executive control prevents acting on suicidal thoughts.

    “Suicidal ideation–related increased frontal-subcortical connectivity may be confined to suicidal ideators who do not attempt suicide (94), because better executive control prevents acting on suicidal thoughts.”
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    Premisecitation

    Suicidal ideation relates to greater rs-fMRI activity in the vmPFC and greater resting functional connectivity between the OFC and amygdala and between the posterior cingulate cortex and middle temporal gyrus.

    “Suicidal ideation relates to greater rs-fMRI activity in the vmPFC (88) and greater resting functional connectivity between the OFC and amygdala (89) and between the posterior cingulate cortex and middle temporal gyrus (90), perhaps related to negative self-reflection or rumination (91).”
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    Interpretationnone given

    Abnormalities of glutamate and opioid systems may affect memory, learning, and reward mechanisms.

    “5) abnormalities of glutamate and opioid systems that may affect memory, learning, and reward mechanisms.”
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    Interpretationcitation

    Structural and functional deficits in dmPFC, dlPFC, vlPFC, and dACC correlate with subjective depression severity and contribute to less top-down control over vmPFC regions, leading to impaired decision making and suicidal behavior.

    “2) structural and functional deficits in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC), and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) that correlate with severity of subjective depression (66) and contribute to less top-down control over vmPFC regions, resulting in impaired decision making and, in turn, suicidal behavior (”
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    Interpretationcitation

    Lower frontal-subcortical fractional anisotropy may indicate impaired top-down executive control, explaining correlations with attempt-related impulsivity and number of suicide attempts.

    “Such findings may indicate impaired top-down executive control, explaining a correlation with attempt-related impulsivity (80) and number of suicide attempts (81, 82).”
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    Premisecitation

    Deficient serotonin release is not due to serotonin biosynthesis, because suicide decedents have greater TPH2 expression per neuron and more brainstem serotonin neuron cell bodies.

    “Deficient serotonin release is not due to serotonin biosynthesis, because suicide decedents have greater tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (the rate-limiting enzyme of serotonin synthesis) expression per neuron, and there are more brainstem serotonin neuron cell bodies (109, 110).”
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    Interpretationcitation

    The serotonin deficit likely involves less serotonin neuron firing and less release, because fatal and nonfatal suicide attempts are associated with up-regulated serotonin 1A autoreceptors.

    “The serotonin deficit likely involves less serotonin neuron firing and less release, because fatal and nonfatal suicide attempts are associated with up-regulated serotonin 1A autoreceptors that are located on serotonin neuron cell bodies and proximal dendrites (111, 112).”
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  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

    Interpretationnone given

    Differential OFC activation to pleasant versus negative facial expressions may relate to excessive distress and social distortions.

    “3) differential activation of the OFC to pleasant versus negative facial expressions, perhaps related to excessive distress and social distortions;”
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    Premisecitation

    Violent attempters have greater caudate volume, and attempters with familial suicidal behavior have smaller volumes in temporal regions, dlPFC, and putamen.

    “Violent attempters have greater caudate volume, and suicide attempters with familial suicidal behavior have smaller volumes in temporal regions, dlPFC, and putamen, compared with other subgroups of attempters (72).”
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    Premisecitation

    Suicide decedents have smaller gray matter volume in the dlPFC and hippocampus.

    “Suicide decedents have smaller gray matter volume in the dlPFC (68) and hippocampus (69, 70), perhaps related to impaired decision making and learning/memory functions, respectively.”
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    Premisecitation

    Altered mu opioid receptor binding is related to suicide risk, perhaps via dysregulation of reward circuitry and social function.

    “Altered mu opioid receptor binding is also related to suicide risk (40, 147), perhaps via dysregulation of reward circuitry and social function (40).”
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    Interpretationcitation

    The kappa opioid receptor system may play a role in negative affect associated with suicidal ideation and may explain the possible antisuicidal effects of the kappa antagonist buprenorphine.

    “The kappa opioid receptor system may play a role in negative affect associated with suicidal ideation and may explain the possible antisuicidal effects of the kappa antagonist buprenorphine (139, 140).”
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    • cites [139] Ahmadi J, 2018, Trials source

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    Premisecitation

    Altered expression of NMDA, AMPA, and kainite glutamate receptors is linked to suicidal behavior and may play a role in the rapid-onset antidepressant and antisuicidal effects of ketamine.

    “Altered expression of glutamate receptor N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA), and kainite glutamate receptors is linked to suicidal behavior (129) and may play a role in the rapid-onset antidepressant and antisuicidal effects of ketamine (130-135).”
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    Premisecitation

    Serotonin dysfunction is more prominent in higher-lethality suicidal behavior, indicating localized PFC hypofunction.

    “Serotonin dysfunction is more prominent in higher-lethality suicidal behavior (117), indicating localized PFC hypofunction (118).”
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    Premisecitation

    Nonsuppression on the dexamethasone suppression test predicts suicide, but there is disagreement about nonfatal attempts.

    “Nonsuppression on the dexamethasone suppression test, which assesses this HPA axis glucocorticoid receptor feedback loop, predicts suicide (151-153), but there is disagreement about nonfatal attempts (154-158).”
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    Interpretationcitation

    Childhood adversity may both up-regulate HPA stress responses and reduce serotonin neuron firing in parallel; the former amplifies neuroinflammation and the latter dampens neurotrophic factors.

    “Childhood adversity may both up-regulate HPA stress responses (122) and reduce serotonin neuron firing (108) in parallel (123), the former amplifying neuroinflammation (124) and the latter dampening neurotrophic factors (125).”
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    Premisecitation

    Glucocorticoid receptors are subject to genetic effects via chaperone proteins such as SKA1 and FKBP5, as well as epigenetic changes observed after maternal deprivation in rats and in suicide decedents with childhood adversity.

    “Glucocorticoid receptors are subject to genetic effects via chaperone proteins like SKA1 and FKBP5 (58, 148, 149), as well as epigenetic changes (i.e., methylation) observed in response to maternal deprivation in rats (150) and in suicide decedents with a history of childhood adversity (60).”
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    Premisecitation

    Kappa receptor agonists induce anxiogenic and dysphoric effects in humans and depressive-like behavior in animals.

    “Kappa receptor agonists induce anxiogenic and dysphoric effects in humans (141-143) and depressive-like behavior in animals (i.e., increased immobility in the forced swim test) (144, 145).”
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    Premisecitation

    Mouse studies show that greater expression of serotonin 1A autoreceptors produces less serotonin neuron firing and release and giving-up behavior in the tail suspension and forced swim tests.

    “Mouse studies show that greater expression of these autoreceptors produces a biological phenotype of less serotonin neuron firing and release and a behavioral phenotype manifesting giving-up behavior in the tail suspension test and the forced swim test (113).”
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    • cites [113] Richardson-Jones JW, 2011, J Neurosci source

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    Interpretationcitation

    Childhood adversity may produce a phenocopy by epigenetic effects in the promoter and thereby mediate the effect on suicidal behavior risk via less serotonin release.

    “Childhood adversity may produce a phenocopy by epigenetic effects in the promotor and thereby mediate the effect on suicidal behavior risk via less serotonin release (108).”
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    Premisecitation

    TSST studies find lower pretask baseline cortisol and blunted total cortisol output in suicide attempters compared with nonattempters, while heightened cortisol response to stress appears confined to attempters with higher impulsivity and aggression.

    “TSST studies find lower pretask baseline cortisol (161, 162) and blunted total cortisol output (162, 163) in suicide attempters compared with nonattempters, while heightened cortisol response to stress appears confined to suicide attempters exhibiting higher levels of impulsivity and aggression (164).”
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    Premisecitation

    Enhanced glutamatergic NMDA-mediated transmission may improve memory consolidation but in excess may be neurotoxic.

    “Enhanced glutamatergic NMDA-mediated transmission may improve memory consolidation (136) but in excess may be neurotoxic (137).”
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    • cites [136] Morris RG, 2013, Neuropharmacology source

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    Premisecitation

    Depressed suicide attempters have lower urinary and plasma MHPG than controls, and CSF MHPG levels correlate negatively with lethality of future suicide attempts.

    “Moreover, depressed suicide attempters have lower urinary and plasma levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHGP), a major metabolite of norepinephrine, compared with control subjects, and CSF 3-methoxy-4-hydroxphenylglycol (MHPG) levels correlate negatively with lethality of future suicide attempts (127).”
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    Premisecitation

    Depressed suicide decedents have fewer brain-projecting noradrenergic neurons in the rostral locus coeruleus and higher β-adrenergic receptor binding in the PFC, consistent with less noradrenergic activity.

    “Depressed suicide decedents have fewer brain-projecting noradrenergic neurons in the rostral locus coeruleus and higher β-adrenergic receptor binding in the PFC, both consistent with less noradrenergic activity.”
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    • cites [126] Mathews DC, 2013, Transl Neurosci source

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    Premisecitation

    Less presynaptic serotonin transporter binding in major depression is seen throughout most of the PFC, but in suicide an additional deficit is confined to the ventral PFC and ACC, suggesting a role in decision making.

    “Less presynaptic serotonin transporter binding in major depression is seen throughout most of the PFC, but in suicide an additional deficit is confined to the ventral PFC and ACC, suggesting a role in decision making (115, 116).”
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    Interpretationcitation

    Low brain BDNF in the hippocampus of suicide decedents may underlie its smaller size in suicide decedents and attempters and fewer mature granule neurons in its dentate gyrus.

    “Low brain BDNF in the hippocampus of suicide decedents (180) may underlie its smaller size in suicide decedents (69) and attempters (194) and fewer mature granule neurons in its dentate gyrus (70).”
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    • cites [180] source

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    • cites [69] source

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    • cites [194] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Peripheral inflammatory biomarkers linked to suicide risk include elevated CRP, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, proinflammatory interleukins, cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-6, TNF-α, TGF-β1, and VEGF, and low levels of anti-inflammatory IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-γ in suicidal individuals.

    “Peripheral inflammatory biomarkers linked to suicide risk include elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, proinflammatory interleukins (IL), cytokines that regulate the immune response (e.g., IL-1β and IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), tissue growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and low levels of the anti-inflammatory IL-2, IL-4,”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 8 sources checked
    • cites [195] source

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  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    A recent study reports no association between suicidal ideation severity and cytokine pathway marker mRNA expression.

    “However, a recent study reports no association between suicidal ideation severity and cytokine pathway marker mRNA expression (217), and longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether fluctuating suicide risk correlates with severity of inflammation.”
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    • cites [217] source

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    Premisecitation

    Infant maltreatment increases DNA methylation and reduces BDNF gene expression in the PFC.

    “Infant maltreatment increases DNA methylation and reduces BDNF gene expression in the PFC (191).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
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    Premisecitation

    The dentate gyrus plays a role in emotion regulation through its connection to the PFC, which also shows lower neuron density and serotonin receptor binding in suicide decedents.

    “Moreover, the dentate gyrus plays a role in emotion regulation through its connection to the PFC—which also shows lower neuron density and serotonin receptor binding in suicide decedents (68).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [68] source

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    Premisecitation

    Major depressive episodes account for about 60% of psychiatric diagnoses in suicide decedents, and major depressive episodes are mostly untreated at the time of death.

    “Major depressive episodes account for about 60% of psychiatric diagnoses in suicide decedents (218), and major depressive episodes are mostly untreated at the time of death (219).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [218] source

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    • cites [219] Oquendo MA, 1999, Am J Psychiatry source

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    Premisecitation

    IL-1β negatively correlates, whereas IL-2 positively correlates, with OFC activation during experimental social exclusion.

    “IL-1β negatively correlates, whereas IL-2 positively correlates, with OFC activation during experimental social exclusion (204), a known trigger of suicidal ideation and behavior.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [204] Conejero I, 2019, Psychoneuroendocrinology source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Expression of BDNF and BDNF receptor tyrosine kinase B genes is lower in suicide decedents, and plasma BDNF levels are low in suicide attempters.

    “Expression of BDNF and BDNF receptor tyrosine kinase B genes is lower in suicide decedents (179-181), and plasma BDNF levels are low in suicide attempters (182), perhaps reflecting a systemic genomic effect on BDNF expression.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 4 sources checked
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    Premisecitation

    The BDNF gene Met allele increases risk for suicidal behavior, particularly in depressed individuals and those exposed to early-life stress, where it may act by loss of ACC volume and altered decision-making or depression circuitry.

    “The BDNF gene Met allele, a part of BDNF functional polymorphism (rs6265), increases the risk for suicidal behavior (183, 184), particularly in depressed individuals (185) and in those exposed to early-life stress (186, 187), where it may do so by loss of ACC volume (188) and altered decision-making or depression circuitry.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 5 sources checked
    • cites [183] Iga J, 2007, Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet source

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    • cites [184] Schenkel LC, 2010, Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry source

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    • cites [185] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    BDNF regulates neuron survival, plasticity, and synaptic function, plays an integral role in differentiation during development, is affected by stress, and is associated with major depression and suicidal behavior.

    “Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) regulates neuron survival, plasticity, and synaptic function (169-174), plays an integral role in differentiation during development (175, 176), is affected by stress (177), and is associated with major depression and suicidal behavior (178).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 9 sources checked
    • cites [169] source

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    • cites [170] McAllister AK, 2001, Cell Mol Life Sci source

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    • cites [171] Poo MM, 2001, Nat Rev Neurosci source

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    • cites [174] Morse JK, 1993, J Neurosci source

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    • cites [175] Alcántara S, 2006, Cereb Cortex source

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    • cites [176] Engelhardt M, 2007, Eur J Neurosci source

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    • cites [177] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    Elevated glucocorticoids may result in loss of astrocytes and glutamate transporters, leading to pathological accumulation of glutamate and subsequent loss of neuronal density.

    “Elevated glucocorticoids may result in loss of astrocytes and glutamate transporters. This, in turn, leads to a pathological accumulation of glutamate, with subsequent loss of neuronal density (137).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [137] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Greater suicidal ideation severity is associated with higher CRP, IL-6, and IL-10 levels and with activated microglia-related alterations of the tryptophan-kynurenine pathway.

    “Greater suicidal ideation severity is associated with higher CRP (197), IL-6, and IL-10 levels (215) and with activated microglia-related alterations of the tryptophan-kynurenine pathway (216).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
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    • cites [215] source

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    • cites [216] Bradley KA, 2015, Psychiatry Res source

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    Premisecitation

    Elevated IL-6 correlates positively with suicide attempters' impulsivity, linking proinflammatory responses to an impulsive, reactive endophenotype for suicidal behavior.

    “Elevated IL-6 correlates positively with suicide attempters’ impulsivity (203), thereby linking proinflammatory responses to an impulsive, reactive endophenotype for suicidal behavior.”
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    • cites [203] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Antidepressants generally act on serotonergic and noradrenergic systems and may help prevent suicide by effects on internal stressors of depression and anxiety and on the diathesis.

    “Antidepressants generally act on serotonergic and noradrenergic systems (220) and may help prevent suicide by effects on both the internal stressors of depression and anxiety and the diathesis by reducing hopelessness, reducing propensity for impulsive behavior in response to aggressive or suicidal urges and enhancing cognition.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [220] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    The anti-suicidal ideation effect of ketamine is only partly explained by its antidepressant action, and effects on memory and cognition may also play a role.

    “The anti–suicidal ideation effect of ketamine is only partly explained by its antidepressant action, and effects on memory and cognition may also play a role (131-133).”
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    • cites [131] source

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    • cites [133] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    Forcing individuals to use a less lethal method may work because over 80% of suicide attempt survivors do not end up dying by suicide.

    “Forcing individuals to use a less lethal method may work because over 80% of suicide attempt survivors do not end up dying by suicide (249).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [249] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    Dialectical behavior therapy prevents suicidal behavior without proven antidepressant benefit, indicating it works via problem-solving and stress management or diathesis elements such as dampening amygdala reactivity to negative emotions.

    “Dialectical behavior therapy prevents suicidal behavior without proven antidepressant benefit, indicating that it works via problem-solving and stress management or elements of the diathesis such as dampening amygdala reactivity to negative emotions (235).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [235] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    Clozapine blocks dopamine 2 and serotonin 2A receptors, potentially mediating antiaggressive and anti-impulsive properties.

    “Clozapine blocks dopamine 2 and serotonin 2A receptors, potentially mediating antiaggressive and anti-impulsive properties (227).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [227] Wilkowska A, 2019, Psychiatr Danub

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Intranasal ketamine or esketamine shows promise as anti-suicidal ideation treatment and is less invasive, but absorption is more erratic and it must be administered in medical settings.

    “Intranasal ketamine (or esketamine) also shows promise as anti–suicidal ideation treatment (134) and is less invasive, but its absorption is more erratic, and, like intravenous ketamine, it must be administered in medical settings.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [134] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    CBT improves capacities for cognitive regulation of emotion and is associated with decreased amygdala-associated negative emotional reactivity and enhanced activity of the emotion regulation network.

    “CBT improves capacities for cognitive regulation of emotion and is associated with decreased activity in the amygdala-associated negative emotional reactivity (233) and enhanced activity of the emotion regulation network, including the subgenual ACC, medial PFC, and lingual gyrus (234).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [233] source

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    • cites [234] source

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  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    As a distinct diagnosis, suicide will be coded more consistently in medical records, raising clinician awareness, enhancing suicide research, and motivating targeting of the suicide-related diathesis for prevention and treatment.

    “As a distinct diagnosis, it will be coded more consistently in medical records, raising clinician awareness of risk in individual patients, enhancing suicide research, and motivating the targeting of the suicide-related diathesis for prevention and treatment in suicidal patients.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Cognitive-behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy can prevent suicide attempts.

    “Most studied are cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy, and both can prevent suicide attempts (231, 232).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [231] source

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    • cites [232] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Switching methods is difficult because restricting access to a common method such as household coal gas in the United Kingdom and firearms in Switzerland was followed by large reductions in suicide rates mainly due to those methods, and very little method substitution even over several years.

    “Switching methods is known to be difficult because restricting access to a common method—such as household coal gas in the United Kingdom (245-247) and firearms in Switzerland (248)—was followed by large reductions in suicide rates, mainly due to those methods, and very little method substitution even over several years.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 4 sources checked
    • cites [245] source

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    • cites [246] Kreitman N, 1976, Br J Prev Soc Med

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    • cites [247] source

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    • cites [248] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    The suicide death rate is 300 times higher in the first week and 200 times higher in the first month among patients discharged from inpatient psychiatric care compared with the general population.

    “The suicide death rate is 300 times higher in the first week and 200 times higher in the first month among patients discharged from inpatient psychiatric care compared with the general population (236).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [236] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    The acute risk of acting on suicidal thoughts is brief, and the flexibility of a suicidal person in changing from one method to another is surprisingly limited.

    “It takes advantage of two key observations. The acute risk of acting on suicidal thoughts is brief, and the flexibility of the suicidal person in changing from one method to another is surprisingly limited.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [243] source

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    • cites [244] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Lithium and clozapine reduce risk of suicidal behavior independently of their effectiveness for mood and psychosis, indicating potential effects via the diathesis.

    “Because both medications reduce the risk of suicidal behavior independently of how effective they are for mood and psychosis (225), this indicates potential effects via the diathesis.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 5 sources checked
    • cites [221] source

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    • cites [222] Felber W, 2018, Pharmacopsychiatry source

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    • cites [223] source

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    • cites [224] source

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    • cites [225] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The specific mechanisms of lithium and clozapine antisuicidal diathesis effects are unknown and not readily discoverable because they have many pharmacologic effects.

    “The specific mechanisms of their antisuicidal diathesis effects are unknown and are not readily discoverable because lithium and clozapine have many different pharmacologic effects.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Buprenorphine shows antidepressant effects in both opioid use disorder and treatment-resistant depression.

    “Buprenorphine has antidepressant effects when used for both opioid use disorder and treatment-resistant depression (279-284)”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 6 sources checked
    • cites [279] source

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    • cites [283] source

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    • cites [284] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Patients may hide suicidal thoughts deliberately to block prevention efforts, or because they see no need for care.

    “This may be done intentionally to thwart any intervention to prevent suicide, or because the person does not perceive a need for care (267).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [267] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Neural decoding with machine learning has identified brain activity patterns for representing a deceased loved one and tracked unconscious thoughts about the deceased.

    “Neural decoding is an approach where machine-learning methods have been used to identify the neural activity pattern involved in the mental representation of a deceased loved one and to track unconscious deceased-related thinking (272).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [272] Schneck N, 2017, Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging

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  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Because smartphones are widespread, huge personal data sets can be gathered, potentially enabling discovery of a phonotype or screenotype.

    “The wide availability of smartphones allows accumulation of massive amounts of such personal-level data that may lead to identification of a “phonotype” (261) or “screenotype” (262).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [261] Rollman BL, 2020, J Gen Intern Med source

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    • cites [262] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    The death/suicide IAT has predicted suicidal behavior in some prospective studies but not in others.

    “The IAT predicts suicidal behavior in some prospective studies (269, 270), but not others (271).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [269] source

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    • cites [270] source

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    • cites [271] Glenn CR, 2017, J Child Psychol Psychiatry source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Buprenorphine acts as a partial agonist at mu opioid receptors and an antagonist at kappa opioid receptors.

    “Buprenorphine, a mu opioid receptor partial agonist (274-276) and a kappa opioid receptor antagonist (277)”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 4 sources checked
    • cites [274] Dum J, 1981, Eur J Pharmacol source

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    • cites [275] source

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    • cites [276] source

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    • cites [277] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    In healthy people, tDCS alters inhibitory control, planning, delay discounting, and risk taking.

    “Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is another promising, low-risk, noninvasive neuromodulation technique that has effects on inhibitory control, planning, delay discounting, and risk taking in healthy individuals (289-291).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [289] source

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    • cites [291] source

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  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Some studies report that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation lowers suicidal ideation.

    “Some researchers report a decrease of suicidal ideation following treatment with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) (287)”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [287] source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    In animals, minocycline reduces microglial activation in prefrontal cortex and depression- and anxiety-like behaviors.

    “minocycline decreases microglial activation in the PFC and depressive and anxiety-like traits in animals (293)”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [293] source

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  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Self-guided digital interventions delivered by smartphone might be as effective as in-person suicide prevention.

    “In addition, smartphones have introduced self-guided digital interventions as novel suicide prevention methods that may prove as effective as face-to-face interventions (264).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [264] source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Suicidal ideation is only modestly sensitive and has weak predictive value for suicide.

    “otherwise suicidal ideation has modest sensitivity and low predictive value for suicide (259).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [259] McHugh CM, 2019, BJPsych Open source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Biological measures can provide biomarkers for personalized suicide prevention, monitoring changing risk, and assessing treatment response.

    “A biological approach offers biomarkers to guide a personalized medical approach to prevention of suicide, a way to track fluctuating risk, and a way to track treatment effects.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: The stress-diathesis model of suicidal behavior is a valid framework.
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

    Interpretationnone given

    Biomarkers would be especially valuable if they reveal risk when highly suicidal patients hide their plans and intent to prevent intervention.

    “Such biomarkers assume greater importance if they can detect risk when very suicidal patients choose to withhold information of a plan and intent to suicide in order to avoid being thwarted.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: Suicidal ideation usually precedes and may signal imminent risk of a suicide attempt.
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationnone given

    Searching for clinical and cognitive correlates of suicidal behavior, and understanding brain circuitry and pathogenesis in the stress-diathesis model, may reveal new prevention targets.

    “New suicide prevention targets may be identified in seeking clinical and cognitive correlates of suicidal behavior and by an understanding of the altered brain circuitry and pathogenesis underlying the stress-diathesis model of suicidal behavior.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: Very short-term risk factors for suicide are poorly understood compared with distal/trait factors.
    • Rests on an assumption: The stress-diathesis model of suicidal behavior is a valid framework.
77 of 77
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Very short-term risk factors for suicide are poorly understood compared with distal/trait factors.

    “While many of the distal or trait risk and protective factors for suicide and their underlying biological processes are extensively studied, we know little of the very short-term risk factors.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Suicidal ideation usually precedes and may signal imminent risk of a suicide attempt.

    “Suicidal ideation, which usually precedes and may represent an alarm for imminent risk of a suicide attempt”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Inflammation is involved in the development of depression and suicidal behavior.

    “The role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of depression and suicidal behavior suggests use of anti-inflammatory drugs for depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    No anti-inflammatory drug has been shown to improve suicidal ideation.

    “None have been shown to improve suicidal ideation”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Drugs aimed at HPA axis dysregulation have not been tested for suicide prevention.

    “No drugs targeting HPA axis dysregulation have been evaluated for suicide prevention.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Opioid overdose deaths in the United States have risen sharply over the last twenty years.

    “which has been spiking in the United States over the past two decades.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The stress-diathesis model of suicidal behavior is a valid framework.

    “underlying the stress-diathesis model of suicidal behavior.”
7 of 7

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Dysfunctional neurotransmitter systems, such as abnormalities in serotonin, norepinephrine, glutamate, and opioid receptor function, are associated with suicide risk.

    “Dysfunctional neurotransmitter systems are also associated with suicide risk, such as abnormalities in serotonin, norepinephrine, glutamate, and opioid receptor function (for a review, see Mann & Rizk, 2020).”
  • Consistent with a stress-diathesis model, suicide should be understood as the result of a cumulation of multiple risk factors, some predisposing and some precipitating.

    “Consistent with a stress-diathesis model,29 this underscores the need to understand suicide as the result of a cumulation of multiple risk factors,2 some of which are predisposing (such as sociodemographic background and family history) and some precipitating (such as incident diagnoses and life events).”

Cites

1 retracted

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 16

  1. World Health Organization, 2019, World Health Statistics 2019: Monitoring Health for the SDGs
  2. Doupnik SK, JAMA Psychiatry
  3. Astraud LP, Arch Suicide Res
  4. Orbach I, 2003, Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci, 40, 191
  5. Erlangsen A, Mol Psychiatry
  6. Coon H, Mol Psychiatry
  7. Auerbach RP, Biol Psychiatry
  8. Akhtar Z, 2015, J Indian Acad Appl Psychol, 41, 236
  9. Kumor KM, 1986, J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 238, 960
  10. Wilkowska A, 2019, Psychiatr Danub, 31, 574
  11. Kreitman N, 1976, Br J Prev Soc Med, 30, 86
  12. Sisti D, JAMA Psychiatry
  13. Gratch I, Depress Anxiety
  14. Peters EM, Arch Suicide Res
  15. Oquendo MA, Mol Psychiatry
  16. Schneck N, 2017, Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging, 2, 421

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Mann, J. J., & Rizk, M. M.
Affiliations
Columbia University Irving Medical Center (US)
Venue
American Journal of Psychiatry
Published
2020-10-01
Volume
177
Issue
10
Pages
902-916
ISSN
  • 0002-953X (ISSN-L)
  • 1535-7228
OpenAlex
W3090935559
Cited by
214
References
300
Citations by year
2026: 36 · 2025: 53 · 2024: 37 · 2023: 35 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 3
FWCI
8.81
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • American Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (P50MH090964)
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
suicidal behavior, suicide, brain, neurobiology of suicide, suicide risk
MeSH terms
Brain, Firearms, Humans, Suicide, Suicide, Attempted, United States, Suicidal Ideation

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Claims read by deepseek-v4.1-flash under definition version 3 (extract-v3) on 2026-10-08.

Classified by jev-1.13-20260917 (gold-guideline-v0.2) on 2026-10-08.

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