Increased serotonin 1A receptor availability in the raphe nuclei predicts future suicidal behaviour

Each year, suicide ends an estimated 800G Ç ë 000 lives worldwide.1 Thus, identifying risk factors of future suicidal behaviour is of great importance. Accumulating evidence for- á the last 40 years have linked suicide to alterations in the central serotonergic system,2 but prospective studies predicting future suicidal behaviour from brain serotonin measures are lacking.Brain serotonin 1A (n=100) and serotonin transporter (n=50)- á binding potentials were investigated in vivo in patients with major depressive disorder using positron emission tomography (PET) with the radiotracers [11C]WAY100635 and [11C]DASB, respectively. The- á patients scored>15 on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (17-item), indicating at least moderate severity
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news