Psychological Reports, 1991,68, 146. @ Psychological Reports 1991
CONCENTRATIONS O F CEREBROSPINAL FLUID MONOAMINE METABOLITES IN SUICIDES ' DAVID LESTER
Richard Stockton State College Summary.-Reanalysis of data from a Japanese report indicated that suicides had lower cerebrospinal fluid levels of 3,4-dihydr~xyphen~laceticacid and 3-methoxy4-hydr~xyphen~lglycol than those dying of hearc failure.
Endo, Hara, Kuriiwa, & Kanu (1990) studied the effects of post mortem delay (time between death and biochemical analysis) on the concentrations of monoamine metabolites in the cerebrospinal fluid in 27 victims of ischemic heart disease (M,,, = 75.1 yr., SD = 13.3) and 25 suicides by hanging (M,,, = 55.2 yr., SD = 20.5). They presented their data in full which permitted a comparison of the two groups. Point-biserial correlations, controlling for the effects of sex, age, and port mortem delay, showed that the suicides had lower levels of 3,4d~hydroxyphenylaceticacid (DOPAC) (r = -0.47, p < .001) and 3-methoxy-4hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) (r = -0.33, p< .01) but not of homovanillic acid (HVA) or of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) (rs = -0.12 and 0.06). These findings are surprising since no study of levels of DOPAC in the cerebrospinal fluid have previously appeared in print and previous research has indicated no association between such levels of MHPG and suicidal behavior (Lester, 1988). The results suggest important areas for further investigation of the biochemical basis for suicide. REFERENCES ENDO,T., HARA,S., K ~ w A F., , & KANU, S. Postmortem changes in the levels of rnonoamine metabolites in human cerebrospinal fluid. Forensic Science International, 1990, 44,
61-68. LESTER,D. The biochemical basis ofsuicide. Springfield, IL: Thomas, 1988. Accepted February 15, 1791
'Address correspondence to David Lester, Psychology Department, Richard Stockton State College, Pomona, NJ 08240.
CONCENTRATIONS O F CEREBROSPINAL FLUID MONOAMINE METABOLITES IN SUICIDES ' DAVID LESTER
Richard Stockton State College Summary.-Reanalysis of data from a Japanese report indicated that suicides had lower cerebrospinal fluid levels of 3,4-dihydr~xyphen~laceticacid and 3-methoxy4-hydr~xyphen~lglycol than those dying of hearc failure.
Endo, Hara, Kuriiwa, & Kanu (1990) studied the effects of post mortem delay (time between death and biochemical analysis) on the concentrations of monoamine metabolites in the cerebrospinal fluid in 27 victims of ischemic heart disease (M,,, = 75.1 yr., SD = 13.3) and 25 suicides by hanging (M,,, = 55.2 yr., SD = 20.5). They presented their data in full which permitted a comparison of the two groups. Point-biserial correlations, controlling for the effects of sex, age, and port mortem delay, showed that the suicides had lower levels of 3,4d~hydroxyphenylaceticacid (DOPAC) (r = -0.47, p < .001) and 3-methoxy-4hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) (r = -0.33, p< .01) but not of homovanillic acid (HVA) or of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) (rs = -0.12 and 0.06). These findings are surprising since no study of levels of DOPAC in the cerebrospinal fluid have previously appeared in print and previous research has indicated no association between such levels of MHPG and suicidal behavior (Lester, 1988). The results suggest important areas for further investigation of the biochemical basis for suicide. REFERENCES ENDO,T., HARA,S., K ~ w A F., , & KANU, S. Postmortem changes in the levels of rnonoamine metabolites in human cerebrospinal fluid. Forensic Science International, 1990, 44,
61-68. LESTER,D. The biochemical basis ofsuicide. Springfield, IL: Thomas, 1988. Accepted February 15, 1791
'Address correspondence to David Lester, Psychology Department, Richard Stockton State College, Pomona, NJ 08240.
