Magnetization Transfer Imaging of Suicidal Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

SynopsisRecent research has shown that suicidal patients are not only biased in the speed with which they can remember positive and negative events from their past, but that they also find it more difficult to be specific in their memories. That is, they tend to recall sequences of events, or time periods, rather than single episodes. This tendency has been found to be more evident with positive than with negative events. This paper examines whether the same phenomenon can be observed in patients with a diagnosis of primary Major Depressive Disorder. Twenty depressed patients and twenty matched controls were presented with positive and negative cue words and asked to retrieve specific personal memories. Results showed that depressives (unlike controls) took longer to respond to positive than to negative cues. In addition, the depressed patients were less specific in their memories, especially in response to positive cues. These results are explained within a ‘descriptions’ theory of autobiographical memory, and the remedial implications are discussed.

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Prevalence of Suicidality in Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Comparative Studies

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.690130 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Hong Cai ◽

Xiao-Meng Xie ◽

Qinge Zhang ◽

Xiling Cui ◽

Jing-Xia Lin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Major Depressive Disorder ◽

Depressive Disorder ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Major Depressive ◽

Completed Suicide ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Suicidal Patients ◽

Suicide Plan ◽

Timely Treatment

Background: Suicidality is common in major depressive disorder (MDD), but there has been no systematic review published about all aspects of suicidality. This meta-analysis and systematic review compared the prevalence of the whole range of suicidality comprising suicidal ideation (SI), suicide plan (SP), suicide attempt (SA), and completed suicide (CS), between patients with MDD and non-MDD controls.Methods: Major international (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, EMBASE) and Chinese (Chinese Nation Knowledge Infrastructure and WANFANG) databases were systematically and independently searched from their inception until January 12, 2021.Results: Fifteen studies covering 85,768 patients (12,668 in the MDD group and 73,100 in the non-MDD group) were included in the analyses. Compared to non-MDD controls, the odds ratios (ORs) for lifetime, past month, past year, and 2-week prevalence of SI in MDD were 2.88 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.30–27.22, p = 0.36], 49.88 (95% CI = 2–8.63, p < 0.001), 13.97 (95% CI = 12.67–15.41, p < 0.001), and 24.81 (95% CI = 15.70–39.22, p < 0.001), respectively. Compared to non-MDD controls, the OR for lifetime SP in MDD was 9.51 (95% CI = 7.62–11.88, p < 0.001). Compared to non-MDD controls, the ORs of lifetime and past-year prevalence of SA were 3.45 (95% CI = 1.58–7.52, p = 0.002), and 7.34 (95% CI = 2.14–25.16, p = 0.002), respectively, in MDD patients. No difference in the prevalence of CS between MDD and controls was found (OR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.23–2.02, p = 0.50).Conclusions: MDD patients are at a higher risk of suicidality, compared to non-MDD controls. Routine screening for a range of suicidality should be included in the management of MDD, followed by timely treatment for suicidal patients.Systematic Review Registration: Identifier [INPLASY202120078].

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