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Orbitofrontal cortex response to angry faces in men with histories of suicide attempts

Fabrice Jollant1, Natalia S Lawrence, Vincent Giampietro

  • 1Université Montpellier I, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U 888, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Montpellier, France. f-jollant@chu-montpellier.fr

The American Journal of Psychiatry
|March 19, 2008
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Suicide attempters exhibit distinct brain activity patterns in response to emotional faces, potentially indicating heightened sensitivity to disapproval and emotional reactivity. These neural differences may serve as vulnerability markers for suicidal behavior in men with depression.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Neuroimaging

Background:

  • Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with an increased risk of suicidal behavior.
  • Understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of suicidal behavior is crucial for developing effective interventions.
  • Previous research suggests alterations in brain function in individuals with a history of suicidal behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the functional neural basis of neurobiological abnormalities linked to vulnerability to suicidal behavior.
  • To identify brain activity patterns differentiating suicide attempters from non-suicidal individuals with a history of MDD.

Main Methods:

  • Event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed.
  • Neural activity was measured in response to angry and happy versus neutral facial stimuli.
  • Participants included euthymic men with a history of MDD and suicidal behavior, MDD without suicidal behavior, and healthy controls.

Main Results:

  • Suicide attempters showed greater activity in the right lateral orbitofrontal cortex (area 47) and decreased activity in the right superior frontal gyrus (area 6) to angry faces compared to non-suicidal MDD patients.
  • Increased activity in the right anterior cingulate gyrus (areas 32/10) and right cerebellum was observed in attempters in response to happy and angry faces, respectively.
  • Both patient groups exhibited reduced cerebellar activity to neutral and happy faces compared to healthy controls.

Conclusions:

  • Distinct neural responses to emotional faces in suicide attempters may reflect heightened sensitivity to disapproval and emotional reactivity.
  • Reduced attention to mildly positive stimuli was noted in attempters.
  • These identified patterns of neural activity and cognitive processes may serve as vulnerability markers for suicidal behavior in men with a history of depression.

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