Leo Sher, M.D.

A research report entitled, “Mood disorders and prospective suicidality in young adults: a population-based cohort study” is published in the February 2018 issue of Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica (1). Researchers examined associations of mood disorders and suicidality in a large sample of young adults from south Brazil.

Study participants were between 18 and 24 years old at baseline and lived in the urban area of Pelotas, Brasil. Cognitively disabled individuals were not included in the study. Participants were interviewed in their homes in 2007-2008. Study participants were assessed again in 2012-2014, i.e., about 5 years later.

The prevalence of suicidality at baseline was 8.6% and at follow-up was 11.6%.The authors found that suicidality was associated with both current and past depressive episodes. The authors also observed that a depressive episode was associated with suicidality prospectively, 5 years after the index episode, even when other factors such as current psychopathology were controlled for. The authors conclude that mood episodes, especially depressive episodes, are prospectively associated with suicidality.

Reference

1. Vieira DC, de Azevedo Cardoso T, Mondin TC, Jansen K, da Silva RA, de Mattos Souza LD, Kapczinski F, Magalhães PVS. Mood disorders and prospective suicidality in young adults: a population-based cohort study. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2018 Feb;137(2):109-115.