Social cognition and suicide-related behaviors in depression: a cross-sectional, exploratory study

Abstract

Objective: To explore the association between social cognition and previous suicide attempts and non-suicidal self-injurious behavior in adults with unipolar depressive disorders. Methods: Seventy-two patients undergoing outpatient treatment for unipolar depression were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Theory of mind was assessed using the Hinting Task and the Revised Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test. Empathy was evaluated using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Lifetime suicide attempts and non-suicidal self-injurious behavior were assessed using the Columbia Suicide Risk Rating Scale. Participants with and without these suicide-related outcomes were compared in terms of social cognition. Results: Patients with previous suicide attempts performed worse on the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (p = 0.017). Patients with a history of non-suicidal self-injurious behavior were younger (p = 0.005), had a younger age at first depressive episode (p = 0.017), and scored higher on personal distress in the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (p = 0.027). Only personal distress remained independently associated with non-suicidal self-injurious behavior in multivariable analysis (p = 0.038). Conclusion: Among patients with depression, those with previous suicide attempts or non-suicidal self-injurious behavior showed worse social cognition. These results encourage future research on social cognition deficits as clinical markers of suicide-related behaviors and as targets for interventions.

A comparison of the social cognition and neurocognitive characteristics of adolescents with suicide behavior, adolescent with depression and healthy controls

“…As hypothesized, it was determined that communication problems and deterioration in social interaction was higher in depressed adolescents. Our findings are consistent with the previous studies showing that depressed patients with previous suicide attempts scored significantly lower on test performances assessing ToM (Ferrer et al, 2020;Senna et al, 2022). In light of this evidence, it is thought that interpersonal problems may lead to the deterioration of social support systems, thus posing a potential risk for the development of depression and suicidal behavior.…”

Social Context and Reward Sensitivity Enhance Corticostriatal Function during Experiences of Shared Rewards

“…Our findings demonstrate novel links between reward sensitivity and sub-clinical substance use with the effects of social context in modulating corticostriatal connectivity, particularly underscoring the significance of close social relations in shaping neural responses to reward. Given links between aberrant reward sensitivity, social cognition, and suicidal ideation (Alloy et al, 2016; Nusslock et al, 2012; Senna et al, 2022; Szanto et al, 2012), as well as existing links between neural reward response and depression (Gotlib et al, 2010; Nelson et al, 2016), further research is warranted into whether individuals with mood disorders would show differential corticostriatal connectivity in social contexts based on their sensitivity to reward. Future longitudinal research should continue to investigate the predictive value of corticostriatal connectivity in clinical populations and explore interventions that modulate reward responses (Nagy et al, 2020), particularly in conjunction with social skill and support interventions (Ait Oumeziane et al, 2019; Narr et al, 2019; Piccirillo et al, 2021; Sequeira et al, 2021; Zhang et al, 2014) with the aim of preventing and addressing substance use and mood disorders.…”