A follow up study of suicide attempters: Increase of CSF-somatostatin but no change in CSF-CRH

Concentrations of somatostatin and corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH), measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have been reported to be low in suici dal patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Often have MDD patients in general, high CSF-CRH and low CSF-somatostatin concentrations, which bot h seem to normalise with clinical recovery. The present study was designed to look for CSF-CRI-I and CSF-somatostatin alterations along with clinical changes in patients studied repeatedly after a suicide attempt. Sixteen pat ients with different diagnoses, initially inpatients after a suicide attemp t (baseline), participated. Lumbar punctures and ratings according to the S uicidal Assessment Scale (SUAS) and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) were performed while patients were drug-frre (baseline) anti after a median of 7 (5 to 9) months. At follow up MADRS- and SUAS-scores w ere significantly decreased (P<0.05), whereas CSF-somatostatin was signific antly increased (P=0.013) and CSF-CRH had not changed significantly. Thus, the patients showed long-lasting low CSF-CRH concentrations, in spite of ch anged CSF-somatostatin concentrations and clinical amelioration. <(c)> 2001 Elsevier Science B,V. All rights reserved.