Network changes in insula and amygdala connectivity accompany implicit suicidal associations
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Limited knowledge exists regarding the neurobiology of suicidal thoughts, given that there are currently no direct probes of the suicidal state. This pilot study used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to evaluate correlates of the implicit association between the self and death compared to the self and life as objective markers of suicide risk. Healthy volunteers (HVs; n=21) completed a modified version of the Suicide Implicit Association Task (S-IAT) during MEG scanning. Gamma power-which is considered a proxy measure of excitation-inhibition balance-was directly compared in the self-death/self-life contrast. As a proof-of-concept, the ability of dynamic causal modeling to categorize HVs versus four individuals with recent suicide crisis (SC) was evaluated. In HVs, enhanced gamma power in both amygdala and anterior insula were found for the self-death compared with self-life contrast. In addition, connectivity estimates between early visual cortex, anterior insula, and amygdala correctly categorized SC participants with 77% to 82% sensitivity and 80% to 85% specificity. These findings, which implicate network-level changes in salience network and amygdala connectivity in mediating suicidal associations, require further replication in larger samples. Direct probing of suicidal thoughts with the S-IAT may provide foundational markers of neural circuits associated with suicide risk.
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Gamma connectivity estimates among these regions differentiated healthy volunteers from a small group of individuals (N=4) experiencing a suicide crisis.
“Gamma connectivity estimates among these regions also differentiated healthy volunteers from a small group of individuals (N=4) experiencing a suicide crisis, defined as attempt or ideation with intent over the prior two weeks.”
From Toward objective characterizations of suicide risk: A narrative review of laboratory-based cognitive and behavioral tasks (2023) · cites this paper as Ballard, Gilbert et al., 2020
Enhanced gamma oscillations were observed in the amygdala and anterior insula for self-death compared with self-life associations.
“Relatedly, enhanced gamma oscillations were observed in the amygdala and anterior insula for self-death compared with self-life associations (Ballard, Gilbert et al., 2020).”
From Toward objective characterizations of suicide risk: A narrative review of laboratory-based cognitive and behavioral tasks (2023) · cites this paper as Ballard, Gilbert et al., 2020
Connectivity estimates between early visual cortex, amygdala, and anterior insula during the suicide-related implicit association test correctly categorized recent suicide attempters with 77 to 82% sensitivity and 80 to 85% specificity.
“A second study measuring connectivity changes between early visual cortex, amygdala, and anterior insula during the suicide-related IAT in a group of healthy participants and small group of recent suicide attempters found that connectivity estimates between these regions correctly categorized recent attempters with 77 to 82% sensitivity and 80 to 85% specificity (85).”
From New methods for assessing rapid changes in suicide risk (2021) · cites this paper as [85]
The previous study measuring connectivity during the suicide-related implicit association test included only four participants with a recent suicide attempt.
“as the previous study included only four participants with a recent suicide attempt.”
From New methods for assessing rapid changes in suicide risk (2021) · cites this paper as [85]
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New methods for assessing rapid changes in suicide risk
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- Authors
- Ballard, E. D., Gilbert, J. R., Fields, J. S., Nugent, A. C., & Zarate, C. A.
- Affiliations
- National Institutes of Health (US)
- Corresponding author
- Ballard, Elizabeth D.
- Venue
- Frontiers in Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media SA
- Published
- 2020-09-24
- Volume
- 11
- Pages
- 577628-577628
- ISSN
- 1664-0640 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC7543650
- OpenAlex
- W3088937338
- Cited by
- 20
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 3
- FWCI
- 1.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Frontiers in Psychiatry (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Keywords
- suicide risk, implicit associations, anterior insula, amygdala, salience network, gamma power, excitation-inhibition balance, early visual cortex, dynamic causal modeling, suicidal crisis
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