Distinct Effects of Major Affective Disorder Diagnoses and Suicidal Symptom Severity on Inhibitory Control Function and Proinflammatory Cytokines: Single-Site Analysis of 800 Adolescents and Adults

Ya-Mei Bai; Mu-Hong Chen; Ju-Wei Hsu; Hsiang-Hsuan Huang; Jia-Shyun Jeng; Shih-Jen Tsai

doi:10.1093/ijnp/pyae043

Distinct Effects of Major Affective Disorder Diagnoses and Suicidal Symptom Severity on Inhibitory Control Function and Proinflammatory Cytokines: Single-Site Analysis of 800 Adolescents and Adults

Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2024 Sep 16:pyae043. doi: 10.1093/ijnp/pyae043. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Ya-Mei Bai^{1

2

3}, Mu-Hong Chen^{1

2

3}, Ju-Wei Hsu^{1

2}, Hsiang-Hsuan Huang^{1

2}, Jia-Shyun Jeng^{1

2}, Shih-Jen Tsai^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
² Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
³ Institute of Brain Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.

PMID: 39283831
DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyae043

Abstract

Background: Inhibitory control function and proinflammatory cytokines play a role in the pathomechanisms underlying major affective disorders and suicidal behavior. However, the distinct or interactive effects of major affective disorders and suicidal symptom severity on inhibitory control function and proinflammatory cytokines remain unclear.

Methods: This study included 287 patients with bipolar disorder, 344 with major depressive disorder, and 169 healthy controls. We categorized the participants into three groups on the basis of Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) item 10 (suicidal symptoms) score: 0, 2 or 3, and ≥4. The participants completed the go/no-go task and the measurements for C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels.

Results: Errors in the go/no-go task were associated with suicidality (p = .040), regardless of the severity of suicidal symptoms and diagnosis. An elevated CRP level was especially associated with MADRS item 10 score ≥ 4 (p = 0.001). Increased TNF-α level could distinguish bipolar disorder from major depressive disorder (p < .001).

Discussion: Our study indicated the distinct effects of major affective disorder diagnosis and suicide symptom severity on inhibitory control function and CRP and TNF-α levels. Importantly, individuals with the poorest inhibitory control function and highest CRP levels had more severe suicidal symptoms.

Keywords: CRP; bipolar disorder; inhibitory control; major depressive disorder; suicide.