Alcoholism and Suicide

Roy, Alec; Linnoila, Markku

doi:10.1111/j.1943-278x.1986.tb00354.x

Cited by 142 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 108 publications

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“…Lifetime mortality due to suicide in alcoholism is reported as high as 18% (Roy and Linnoila, 1986) but other estimates (Murphy and Wetzel, 1990) find that the lifetime risk of suicide among individuals with alcohol dependence treated in outpatient and inpatient settings is 2.2% and 3.4%, respectively. The lifetime risk of suicide in major depression is about 15% (Oquendo et al, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Alcohol dependence (alcoholism) and major depressive disorder are frequently comorbid and both are risk factors for suicidal behavior (Roy and Linnoila, 1986;Murphy and Wetzel, 1990;Mann et al, 1999;Harwitz and Ravizza, 2000;Sher et al, 2005;Sher, 2006). Lifetime mortality due to suicide in alcoholism is reported as high as 18% (Roy and Linnoila, 1986) but other estimates (Murphy and Wetzel, 1990) find that the lifetime risk of suicide among individuals with alcohol dependence treated in outpatient and inpatient settings is 2.2% and 3.4%, respectively.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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CSF monoamine metabolites and lethality of suicide attempts in depressed patients with alcohol dependence

Sher¹,

Oquendo²,

Grunebaum³

et al. 2007

European Neuropsychopharmacology

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Background: Alcohol dependence (alcoholism) and major depressive disorder are frequently comorbid and are risk factors for suicidal behavior. Monoaminergic abnormalities have been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression, alcohol dependence, and suicidal behavior. Lower cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels are associated with higher lethality of suicide attempts in major depression and predict a higher rate of future suicide. We sought to study the relationship of CSF monoamine metabolites to lethality of suicidal acts in depressed subjects with comorbid alcoholism. Methods:We compared 16 high-and 16 low-lethality drug-free depressed suicide attempters with comorbid alcoholism. Subjects were free from any substance use disorder for at least two months. Demographic and clinical parameters, and CSF 5-HIAA, homovanillic acid (HVA), and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) levels were examined. Results:The two groups did not differ with regard to the demographic characteristics. CSF 5-HIAA levels were lower in high-lethality attempters compared to low-lethality attempters. There were no group difference in CSF HVA or MHPG levels. Conclusion:Higher lethality of suicidal behavior in depressed patients with alcoholism is related to lower serotonergic activity.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

CSF monoamine metabolites and lethality of suicide attempts in depressed patients with alcohol dependence

Sher¹,

Oquendo²,

Grunebaum³

et al. 2007

European Neuropsychopharmacology

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“…Data from the Epidemiologic Catchment Area Survey showed that cocaine abusers had a significantly increased risk of attempting suicide and clinical studies report that up to 40% of cocaine-dependent patients have attempted suicide at some time (Petronis et al, 1990;Roy, 2001). The risk for an attempt at suicide is also increased among alcohol-and opiate dependent patients (reviewed in Roy and Linnoila, 1986). Up to 40% of alcoholics and 50% of opiate dependent patients attempt suicide at some time in their life (Johnson and Fridell, 1997;Kosten and Rounsaville, 1988).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interaction between Childhood Trauma and Serotonin Transporter Gene Variation in Suicide

Roy

Janal³

et al. 2007

Neuropsychopharmacol

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174

115

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Although the serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) contributes to depression and suicidality in a fashion modulated by environmental stress, 5-HTTLPR has been little examined in relation to suicidal behavior in substance dependence. Recently, a third functional allele of 5-HTTLPR was discovered enabling more of the interindividual variation in serotonin transporter expression to be predicted by genotype. We examined whether the 5-HTTLPR gene alone, or interacting with childhood trauma, was predictive of suicidal behavior in substance-dependent patients, a clinical population that is at high risk of suicide, as well as childhood trauma and other stress. We interviewed 306 abstinent male African-American substance-dependent patients about whether they had ever attempted suicide and administered the 34-item Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Patients and 132 male African-American controls were genotyped to determine the S, L G , and L A 5-HTTLPR alleles; some analyses grouped the S and L G alleles on the basis of equivalent function. The distribution of 5-HTTLPR genotypes did not differ between patients and controls, nor between suicide attempters and nonattempters. However, patients with low expression 5-HTTLPR genotypes and above-median CTQ scores were more likely to have attempted suicide. Logistic regression showed increasing risk of a suicide attempt with increasing reports of childhood trauma scores; in addition, this increase was exaggerated among those with low expression forms of the 5-HTTLPR genotype. Childhood trauma interacts with low expressing 5-HTTLPR genotypes to increase the risk of suicidal behavior among patients with substance dependence.

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“…68 Smokers tend to drink, and heavy smokers tend to drink heavily. 36 Because heavy alcohol intake is a well-established risk factor for suicide, 35,69 we controlled for alcohol intake in our analyses. As in the general population, smokers in our cohort consumed more alcohol than did nonsmokers (Table 1).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Cigarettes and suicide: a prospective study of 50,000 men

Miller

Hemenway²,

Rimm³

2000

Am J Public Health

123

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A B S T R A C TObjectives. This study examined the relation between smoking and suicide, controlling for various confounders.Methods. More than 50 000 predominantly White, middle-aged and elderly male health professionals were followed up prospectively with biennial questionnaires from 1986 through 1994. The primary end point was suicide. Characteristics controlled for included age, marital status, body mass index, physical activity, alcohol intake, coffee consumption, and history of cancer.Results. Eighty-two members of the cohort committed suicide during the 8-year follow-up period. In age-adjusted analyses with never smokers as the comparison group, the relative risk of suicide was 1.4 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.8, 2.3) among former smokers, 2.6 (95% CI = 0.9, 7.5) for light smokers (<15 cigarettes/day), and 4.5 (95% CI = 2.3, 8.8) among heavier smokers. After adjustment for potential confounders, the relative risks were 1.4 (95% CI = 0.9, 2.4), 2.5 (95% CI = 0.9, 7.3), and 4.3 (95% CI = 2.2, 8.5), respectively.Conclusion. We found a positive, dose-related association between smoking and suicide among White men. Although inference about causality is not justified, our findings indicate that the smoking-suicide connection is not entirely due to the greater tendency among smokers to be unmarried, to be seden- 1 Although the nature of the relation between cigarette smoking and disease has been most convincingly demonstrated for physical illness, several researchers have linked smoking to mental illness, especially depression. 2-14Almost a dozen studies have shown a significant association between smoking and suicide. However, many of these studies were small and did not control for characteristics common to both smokers and persons who commit suicide.13,15-25 For example, only 2 prospective studies with more than 20 suicides controlled for alcohol intake-and these yielded conflicting results. 18,22 In this article, we present data on more than 50 000 men followed up prospectively for 8 years. Our analysis controlled for several potentially important behavioral, situational, and demographic factors that have been identified in the suicide, smoking, and depression literature. In addition, the investigation evaluated the relation between suicide and smoking, while taking into account changes in smoking status during follow-up. The study also examined prospectively the contribution of developing cancer to the association between smoking and suicide.

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Alcoholism and Suicide

Cited by 142 publications

References 108 publications

CSF monoamine metabolites and lethality of suicide attempts in depressed patients with alcohol dependence

CSF monoamine metabolites and lethality of suicide attempts in depressed patients with alcohol dependence

Interaction between Childhood Trauma and Serotonin Transporter Gene Variation in Suicide

Cigarettes and suicide: a prospective study of 50,000 men

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