Citation

Fang Y, Huang X, Wang X, Li Z, Guo Y, Zhu C, Luo Y, Wang K, Yu F. Psychiatry Res. 2023; 332: e111635.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.pscychresns.2023.111635

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Suicide is one of the most significant global mental health problems with high prevalence and mortality rate. It is a complex act, comprising a continuum from intention to attempt at death (Klonsky et al., 2016). More than 800,000 individuals die from suicide annually worldwide, accounting for 1.4% of global deaths (WHO, 2014). Suicides are mostly accompanied by a mental disorder, particularly depression (Dong et al., 2015). In China, the prevalence of depression is approximately 6%; there are ∼30 million people diagnosed with depression and the general standard suicide ratio in this group is 10%–15% (Lu et al., 2020). Clinically, the comorbidity between suicide and depression is of particular importance. Given the high rates of disability and mortality in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) of high suicide risk, it is necessary to predict and prevent the occurrence of suicidal behavior. Therefore, it is essential to identify the neuropsychological markers that are associated with suicidality in patients with MDD.

Executive dysfunction might be one potential cognitive mechanism of suicidal behaviors (Arioli et al., 2018; Brand et al., 2007). Patients with suicidality risk exhibited various degrees of executive functions impairment such as flawed social cognitive function and response inhibition (Ho et al., 2018). Specifically, it may involve not only the generation of false assumptions that one is a burden to relatives but the failure to control inappropriate thoughts and behaviors. Reward-learning decision-making (DM) is a crucial component of executive function; its dysfunction is also a potential mechanism of suicidality risk. DM can be defined as a series of cognitive processes that evaluates and selects the advantageous option based on values of previous decisions (Saperia et al., 2019). In at least some cases, committing suicide could be considered as a unique decision to avoid unbearable pain in the short-term ...

Language: en