ABSTRACT Suicide is among the top causes of death in many countries. One of the main factors that induces depression and suicide is a deficit in serotonin activity. On the other hand, there is a connection between a low or lowered plasma cholesterol level and violence which has been related to this serotonergic system dysfunction. The present study was done in Mexican young people from a Southeast community located in a zone with a high rate of violence and top incidence of suicide. Three groups were included: attempted suicide patients, psychiatric patients with no suicide attempts and control normal volunteers. The patients with suicide attempts showed a diminished platelet serotonin-2A receptor binding compared with psychiatric patients with no suicide attempts and control normal volunteers. On the other hand, plasma cholesterol levels were lower in psychiatric patients with or without suicide attempts, compared to control normal volunteers. These results indicate that changes in platelet serotonin-2A receptor binding is a better potential marker for suicidal behavior than plasma cholesterol level alone that was found low in all depressive patients. Odds ratio for platelet serotonin receptor binding (OR 13.39, < 22.51 fmol/mg protein) and leucocytes number (OR 0.0, < 6.45 x 103 cells/mL), which contrasted with control psychiatric non suicidal patients, could be useful tools to distinguish suicidality.
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