Commentary: CSF and Plasma Testosterone in Attempted Suicide

Frontiers in Public Health

Leo Sher¹ 

关键词: testosterone;    CSF;    mood;    behavior;    attempted suicide;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpubh.2017.00092

学科分类：卫生学

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

The role of testosterone in the pathophysiology of suicidal behavior remains unclear. Therefore, a recent research report “CSF and plasma testosterone in attempted suicide” by Stefansson et al. published in Psychoneuroendocrinology is an important and timely contribution to the field (1). The authors examined the CSF and plasma testosterone and cortisol levels in medication-free suicide attempters and healthy volunteers. The authors also assessed the relationship between the testosterone/cortisol ratio, aggressiveness, and impulsivity in suicide attempters. This research group, led by Dr. Jussi Jokinen, found that male suicide attempters had higher CSF and plasma testosterone levels than age-matched male healthy volunteers. The researchers did not observe significant differences in CSF testosterone levels between female suicide attempters and healthy female volunteers. The authors observed that in male suicide attempters, the CSF testosterone/cortisol ratio showed a significant positive correlation with impulsivity and aggressiveness. This research work is important not only because it shows that testosterone may be involved in the pathophysiology of suicidal behavior but also because it suggests a potential psychobiological mechanism: it appears that impulsivity and aggressiveness may in fact mediate the effect of testosterone on suicidality. This is consistent with my hypothesis proposed in 2012 (2). I suggested that if testosterone plays a role in the neurobiology of suicidal behavior, this connection may be related to (1) a direct effect of testosterone on suicidality; (2) a testosterone effect on mood and, consequently, suicidality; (3) a testosterone effect on cognition and, consequently, suicidality; and (4) a testosterone effect on aggression and, consequently, suicidality.

【 授权许可】

CC BY