Engaging With Mature Media Content Is Linked to Depression and Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Childhood and Early Adolescents

Preschool-Onset Major Depressive Disorder as a Strong Predictor of Suicidal Ideation and Behaviors Into Preadolescence

Transcriptional Patterns of Brain Structural Covariance Network Abnormalities Associated With Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Major Depressive Disorder

Neural signatures of suicide risk likely reflect a combination of specific and non-specific factors, and clarifying specific factors may facilitate development of novel treatments. Previously, we demonstrated an altered pattern of resting state connectivity between the dorsal and ventral posterior cingulate cortex (d/vPCC) and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), as well as altered low frequency oscillations in these regions, in individuals with a history of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) compared to healthy controls. It remains uncertain, however, whether these markers were directly related to STBs or, more generally, reflect a trait-level risk factor for depression. Here, we examined data from a 3-generational longitudinal study of depression where resting state fMRI data were analyzed from 2nd and 3rd generation offspring of probands with (FH+ = 44: STB+ = 32, STB- = 12) and without (FH- = 25: STB+ = 15, STB- = 10) a family history of major depressive disorder (MDD). Standard seed-based methods and a frequency-based analysis of intrinsic neural activity (ALFF/fALFF) were employed. FH of MDD, but not a personal history of STBs or MDD, was associated with relatively reduced dPCC-dACC, and enhanced vPCC-dACC functional connectivity. FH of MDD showed a pattern of reduced ALFF in the dPCC whereas an STB history was associated with an increase. All findings were invariant to confounding by lifetime MDD and current depression severity. Overall, contrary to predictions, resting state functional connectivity within the default mode network (DMN) was associated with FH of depression rather than STBs. These findings confirm the relevance of DMN functional connectivity for mood disorders and underscore the importance of disambiguating biological factors that differentially relate to mental disorders versus STBs.

A Suicide-Specific Diagnosis – The Case Against

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) represent a significant public health concern. This study aimed to examine the extent to which polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for suicide attempt and major depression (MD) explain variance in suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts among young adult twins. Data from 2876 participants of European ancestry in the Brisbane Longitudinal Twin Study were analyzed. PRSs for MD and suicidal behavior (SB PRS) were calculated. Multivariate twin modeling was used to estimate genetic and environmental influences on DSM-IV Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) diagnosis and STBs, as well as their associations with PRSs. Heritability estimates were higher for STB phenotypes (51–80%) compared to DSM-IV MDD (39–41%). The MD PRS showed more consistent genetic correlations with DSM-IV MDD, while both PRSs showed modest correlations with suicide outcomes. Multivariate analyses revealed remarkably high genetic correlations among STBs (rA = 0.85–0.99) and moderate genetic correlations with MDD (rA = 0.48–0.65). Environmental factors contributing to DSM-IV MDD risk were largely distinct from those influencing suicide-related phenotypes. This study provided compelling evidence for shared genetic architecture between DSM-IV MDD and STBs. The MD PRS demonstrated more consistent prediction of MDD compared to the SB PRS, though both showed modest correlations with suicide outcomes. These results have important implications for risk assessment strategies, though the substantial unique environmental influences highlight the need to address modifiable environmental risk factors. Future research should focus on replication in larger, more diverse samples and exploring the interactions between genetic risk factors and environmental influences across the lifespan.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10519-025-10234-0.

Preadolescent Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors: An Intensive Longitudinal Study of Risk Factors

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) are a public health concern, particularly among Veterans, who experience elevated rates of STBs. Social integration is negatively associated with STBs, such that high social integration is correlated with low rates of STBs. Much of the literature has studied marital status as a social relationship that may protect individuals from STBs. Although largely unstudied, it has long been assumed that social integration moderates the link between marital status and STBs. Thus, in a sample of Veterans (N = 1469; Military Health and Well-Being Project), we tested our hypotheses that (1) social integration varies by marital status (single vs. married vs. domestic partnership vs. divorced vs. widowed), (2) social integration is negatively associated with STBs (i.e., lifetime suicidal ideation, past year suicidal ideation, suicidal ideation communication, and likelihood of suicide attempt), (3) STBs vary based on marital status, and (4) social integration moderates the cross-sectional link between marital status and STBs. Results indicated that (1) marital status was associated with social integration, such that married people reported greater social integration than people who were single; (2) social integration was negatively associated with all four STBs (r's < - 0.09, p < 0.001); (3) STBs varied based on marital status such that married people reported fewer STBs than people who were in a domestic partnership, single, widowed, or divorced, and (4) social integration did not moderate the link between marital status and STBs. Findings indicate that factors external to marital status may contribute to the link between social integration and STBs.

Divorce, genetic risk, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors in a sample with recurrent major depressive disorder

Does social media use confer suicide risk? A systematic review of the evidence

Recent theories have implicated inflammatory biology in the development of psychopathology and maladaptive behaviors in adolescence, including suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB). Examining specific biological markers related to inflammation is thus warranted to better understand risk for STB in adolescents, for whom suicide is a leading cause of death. Participants were 211 adolescent females (ages 9-14 years; Mage = 11.8 years, SD = 1.8 years) at increased risk for STB. This study examined the prospective association between basal levels of inflammatory gene expression (average of 15 proinflammatory mRNA transcripts) and subsequent risk for suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior over a 12-month follow-up period. Controlling for past levels of STB, greater proinflammatory gene expression was associated with prospective risk for STB in these youth. Similar effects were observed for CD14 mRNA level, a marker of monocyte abundance within the blood sample. Sensitivity analyses controlling for other relevant covariates, including history of trauma, depressive symptoms, and STB prior to data collection, yielded similar patterns of results. Upregulated inflammatory signaling in the immune system is prospectively associated with STB among at-risk adolescent females, even after controlling for history of trauma, depressive symptoms, and STB prior to data collection. Additional research is needed to identify the sources of inflammatory up-regulation in adolescents (e.g., stress psychobiology, physiological development, microbial exposures) and strategies for mitigating such effects to reduce STB.

Data from high-income countries (HICs) show a high risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) in first-episode psychosis (FEP). It is unknown, however, whether rates and associated factors differ in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We therefore aimed to compare the 2-year course of STBs and associated factors in persons with FEP treated in two similarly structured early intervention services in Chennai, India and Montreal, Canada. To ensure fit to the data that included persons without STBs and with varying STBs' severity, a hurdle model was conducted by site, including known predictors of STBs. The 2-year evolution of STBs was compared by site with mixed-effects ordered logistic regression. The study included 333 FEP patients (168 in Chennai, 165 in Montreal). A significant decrease in STBs was observed at both sites (OR = 0.87; 95% CI [0.84, 0.90]), with the greatest decline in the first 2 months of follow-up. Although three Chennai women died by suicide in the first 4 months (none in Montreal), Chennai patients had a lower risk of STBs over follow-up (OR = 0.44; 95% CI [0.23, 0.81]). Some factors (depression, history of suicide attempts) were consistently associated with STBs across contexts, while others (gender, history of suicidal ideation, relationship status) were associated at only one of the two sites. This is the first study to compare STBs in FEP between two distinct geo-sociocultural contexts (an HIC and an LMIC). At both sites, STBs reduced after treatment initiation, suggesting that early intervention reduces STBs across contexts. At both sites, for some patients, STBs persisted or first appeared during follow-up, indicating need for suicide prevention throughout follow-up. Our study demonstrates contextual variations in rates and factors associated with STBs. This has implications for tailoring suicide prevention and makes the case for more research on STBs in FEP in diverse contexts.

Trajectories of Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors From Preschool Through Late Adolescence.

Interoceptive Accuracy, Sensitivity, and Attention are Associated with Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors.

Background: Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth aged 10 to 14 years and third for those aged 15 to 24 years in the United States and in Ohio. Suicidal thoughts and behaviors disparately affect youth with oppressed identities, including those with oppressed racial, ethnic, gender, and sexual minority identities. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between self-reports of suicidal thoughts and behaviors among Ohio youth with oppressed identities. This research also contextualizes relationships between these indicators through the context of intersectionality. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study used responses from the 2019 Ohio Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS; n = 1263) to examine the relationships between identity variables and suicidal thoughts and behaviors through a series of logistic regression models. Results: Female youth have higher odds of reporting persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness and seriously considering suicide than male youth. Lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) youth have higher odds of reporting all outcome measures of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs), and youth with oppressed racial and ethnic identities were in general more likely to report higher odds of STBs when compared to White youth. Conclusion: Suicidal thoughts and behaviors disparately affect youth with these oppressed identities. Our findings suggest further examination of these youth nationally may influence public health suicide prevention strategies. Implica-tions also suggest that researchers, practitioners, and organizations across the spectrum of youth suicide prevention in Ohio should understand the increased risk that youth with multiple, intersectional oppressed identities face for suicide.

Objective: Examine the relationship between internalized stigma, experiential avoidance (EA), and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) in a sample of college students, and explore whether EA accounts for part of the relationship between internalized stigma, EA, and STBs. Participants: College students (N=78) completed online questionnaires about demographic information, internalized stigma, EA, and STBs. Results: A simple mediation model evaluated the indirect effect of internalized stigma on STBs through EA, controlling for the presence of a mental health disorder diagnosis. Results: Internalized stigma, STBs, and EA were all positively correlated. EA partially mediated the relationship between internalized stigma and STBs. Conclusion: Despite decades of research and prevention efforts, STBs remain a pervasive problem. There is an urgent need to identify modifiable predictors of STBs. Internalized stigma is a risk factor for STBs, and recent research suggests EA might be a mechanism linking internalized stigma and STBs. Our findings suggest EA might represent a modifiable mechanism of change in the context of both anti-stigmatization and suicide prevention programs.