@article{ref1,
title="5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid in cerebrospinal fluid and prediction of suicidal behaviour in schizophrenia",
journal="Lancet",
year="1992",
author="Cooper, S. J. and Kelly, C. B. and King, D. J.",
volume="340",
number="8825",
pages="940-941",
abstract="Low concentrations of the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are associated with suicidal behaviour in patients with depressive illness, but studies of the relation between CSF 5-HIAA and suicide in schizophrenia have been inconclusive and have not included long-term follow-up. In a prospective study, we measured 5-HIAA in CSF taken from 30 schizophrenic patients in a drug-free state, and followed these patients for 11 years. 10 patients made suicide attempts during follow-up. Suicide attempters had significantly lower concentrations of CSF 5-HIAA at initial evaluation than non-attempters (mean SE. 6.7 2.2. vs 23.6 5.6. ng/ml, p < 0.05). Our findings provide further evidence of the relation between serotoninergic dysfunction and suicide, and suggest a role for drugs with serotoninergic effects in schizophrenia.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0140-6736",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}