Abstract

This application for a two year Geriatric Mental Health Academic Award renewal has the long-term objective of providing the Principal Investigator with a thorough understanding of, and experience with, clinical pathological correlation in psychogeriatric research. Towards that end, he will couple ongoing studies of the psychopathology of suicide in the elderly with the investigation of a likely neurobiological correlate to late life suicide -- hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction. Based on an empirically derived model, the proposed studies test the hypothesis that late life suicide is a behavioral expression of neurobiological changes which result from age associated alterations in HPA axis feedback regulation.
The specific aims of the proposal are to explore the state of the HPA axis in both completed and attempted suicides using a variety of neurochemical, molecular biological, and drug challenge techniques; to define the relationship of these neurobiological variables to psychiatric symptomatology and diagnosis; and, through long-term follow-up, to determine the relationship of HPA axis functioning to course of illness and outcome.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Academic/Teacher Award (ATA) (K07)
Project #
2K07MH000748-04
Application #
3077746
Study Section
Life Course and Prevention Research Review Committee (LCR)
Project Start
1988-08-01
Project End
1993-07-31
Budget Start
1991-09-01
Budget End
1992-07-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
1991
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Rochester
Department
Type
Schools of Dentistry
DUNS #
208469486
City
Rochester
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
14627

  Publications

Erlangsen, Annette; Agerbo, Esben; Hawton, Keith et al. (2009) Early discontinuation of antidepressant treatment and suicide risk among persons aged 50 and over: a population-based register study. J Affect Disord 119:194-9
Conner, K R; Duberstein, P R; Conwell, Y (2000) Domestic violence, separation, and suicide in young men with early onset alcoholism: reanalyses of Murphy's data. Suicide Life Threat Behav 30:354-9
Conner, K R; Duberstein, P R; Conwell, Y et al. (2000) After the drinking stops: completed suicide in individuals with remitted alcohol use disorders. J Psychoactive Drugs 32:333-7
Duberstein, P R; Conwell, Y; Cox, C (1998) Suicide in widowed persons. A psychological autopsy comparison of recently and remotely bereaved older subjects. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 6:328-34
Conwell, Y; Duberstein, P R; Cox, C et al. (1998) Age differences in behaviors leading to completed suicide. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 6:122-6
Porsteinsson, A; Duberstein, P R; Conwell, Y et al. (1997) Suicide and alcoholism. Distinguishing alcoholic patients with and without comorbid drug abuse. Am J Addict 6:304-10
Conwell, Y; Duberstein, P R; Cox, C et al. (1996) Relationships of age and axis I diagnoses in victims of completed suicide: a psychological autopsy study. Am J Psychiatry 153:1001-8
Conwell, Y; Raby, W N; Caine, E D (1995) Suicide and aging. II: The psychobiological interface. Int Psychogeriatr 7:165-81
Duberstein, P R (1995) Openness to experience and completed suicide across the second half of life. Int Psychogeriatr 7:183-98
Duberstein, P R; Conwell, Y; Caine, E D (1994) Age differences in the personality characteristics of suicide completers: preliminary findings from a psychological autopsy study. Psychiatry 57:213-24

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