The role of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism in acquired capability for suicide.

According to the Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide, capability for suicide comprises two dimensions: fearlessness about death and elevated pain tolerance. The short (S) allelic variant of the serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) has repeatedly been associated with more violent and lethal suicide methods and lethality of suicide attempts. The current study aimed to investigate whether 5-HTTLPR allelic variants are associated with fearlessness about death and pain tolerance/persistence and whether it moderates the relationship between childhood maltreatment and acquired capability for suicide. A cohort of 208 inpatients hospitalized due to a recent suicide attempt or severe suicidal ideation was genotyped for the 5-HTTLPR and assessed for childhood maltreatment. Subjective pain tolerance and fearlessness about death as well as objective pain persistence was assessed using a pressure algometer. Fearlessness about death, pain tolerance, and pain persistence did not differ between 5-HTTLPR genotypes. However, there was a significant correlation between self-reported childhood maltreatment and fearlessness about death that emerged exclusively in homozygous S-allele carriers. Results suggest that there are no "high-risk"-alleles that generally increase capability for suicide. However, in terms of future suicide-related behaviors exposure to childhood maltreatment events could exert a particularly negative influence on homozygous S-allele carriers by increasing their fearlessness about death. © 2020 The American Association of Suicidology.

Citation

Andre Wannemueller, Thomas Forkmann, Heide Glaesmer, Georg Juckel, Laura Paashaus, Dajana Rath, Antje Schönfelder, Dirk Moser, Robert Kumsta, Tobias Teismann. The role of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism in acquired capability for suicide. Suicide & life-threatening behavior. 2020 Dec;50(6):1121-1126

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PMID: 32706152

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