Citation

Linker J, Gillespie NA, Maes H, Eaves LJ, Silberg JL. Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 2012; 42(4): 426-436.

Affiliation

Julie Linker, NathanA.Gillespie, Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA; NathanA.Gillespie, HermineMaes,LindonEaves,JudyL.Silberg, Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA; NathanA.Gillespie, HermineMaes,LindonEaves,JudyL.Silberg, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA; and NathanA.Gillespie, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia. Drs. Linker and Gillespie share first authorship.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, American Association of Suicidology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1943-278X.2012.00101.x

PMID

22646517

Abstract

The co-occurrence of suicidal ideation, depression, and conduct disturbance is likely explained in part by correlated genetic and environmental risk factors. Little is known about the specific nature of these associations. Structured interviews on 2,814 twins from the Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development (VTSABD) and Young Adult Follow-Up (YAFU) yielded data on symptoms of depression, conduct disorder, and adolescent and young adult suicidal ideation. Univariate analyses revealed that the familial aggregation for each trait was explained by a combination of additive genetic and shared environmental effects. Suicidal ideation in adolescence was explained in part by genetic influences, but predominantly accounted for by environmental factors. A mixture of genetic and shared environmental influences explained ideation occurring in young adulthood. Multivariate analyses revealed that there are genetic and shared environmental effects common to suicidal ideation, depression, and conduct disorder. The association between adolescent suicidal ideation and CD was attributable to the same genetic and environmental risk factors for depression. These findings underscore that prevention and intervention strategies should reflect the different underlying mechanisms involving depression and conduct disorder to assist in identifying adolescents at suicidal risk.

Language: en