Low cholesterol linked to an increased risk of suicide

This study was published in Psychiatry Research 2011 Jun 30;188(1):83-7

 

Study title and author:

Low cholesterol is a risk factor for attentional impulsivity in patients with mood symptoms.

Troisi A.

Department of Neurosciences, University of Rome Tor Vergatta, Rome, Italy. alfonso.troisi@uniroma2.it

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21112642

Troisi notes that attentional impulsivity is a demonstrated risk factor for suicide. Attentional impulsivity is related to mania and depression.

The study examined the relationship between cholesterol levels and attentional impulsivity in 301 patients with mood, anxiety, and personality disorders.

The study found:
(a) Lower cholesterol levels were associated with increased attentional impulsivity.
(b) Participants with cholesterol levels lower than 165mg/dL (4.2 mmol/L) were at a significantly increased risk of attentional impulsivity compared with the rest of the group.

The study shows that low cholesterol is associated with increased attentional impulsivity, and considering that attentional impulsivity is a demonstrated risk factor for suicide, the results of the study suggest that low cholesterol may be linked to an increased risk of suicide.

Links to other studies:
Lowering cholesterol levels lead to an increase in death from accidents, suicide, and violence
Low cholesterol levels associated with violence, antisocial behaviour and premature death
Both low cholesterol levels and declining cholesterol levels are associated with increased risk of death from suicide in men