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Executive performance of depressed suicide attempters: the role of suicidal ideation

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Abstract

Objective

Suicidal ideation has been related to cognitive rigidity whereas suicidal behaviour itself was associated with specific executive deficits. Yet it remains unclear if a distinct cognitive suicidal phenotype does exist. The aim of the present study was to further investigate the role of suicidal thinking for the neuropsychological performance in depressive suicide attempters.

Method

Depressive inpatients after a recent suicide attempt, who either had present suicidal ideation (n = 14) or not (n = 15) and healthy controls (n = 29) were recruited. The groups were assessed by means of executive tasks designed to capture impulsive decision-making, and with verbal memory and attention tests. Self-rating measures of impulsivity and aggression were further applied.

Results

Only patients with current suicidal ideation showed executive dysfunctions with impaired decision-making being the most salient. Verbal memory and attention were reasonably intact in all patients. All patients reported increased aggression.

Conclusion

Suicidal ideation is clearly associated with impaired cognitive performance. Our results suggest that executive deficits seen in depressive suicide attempters have a state-dependent component.

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Acknowledgments

The study was funded by the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung within the scope of the German Research Network on Depression and Suicidality (grants 01-GI-0220 and 01-GI-9920). Furthermore, Dr. Quednow was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (grant QU 218/1-1).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105, Bonn, Germany

    Jens Westheide, Kai-Uwe Kuhn, Barbara Hawellek, Petra Eichler, Wolfgang Maier & Michael Wagner

  2. Department of Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Boris B. Quednow

  3. Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

    Christian Hoppe & Déirdre Cooper-Mahkorn

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  1. Jens Westheide
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  2. Boris B. Quednow
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Correspondence to Jens Westheide.

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Westheide, J., Quednow, B.B., Kuhn, KU. et al. Executive performance of depressed suicide attempters: the role of suicidal ideation. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosc 258, 414–421 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-008-0811-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-008-0811-1

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