Early trauma exposure and levels of glucocorticoids –– hormones that play a crucial role in various bodily functions –– each can contribute to adolescent suicide risk, according to a new study co-authored by Hadassah researchers, published in Molecular Psychiatry and featured on Nature.com. “Childhood trauma has been repeatedly demonstrated to constitute a major risk factor for later psychopathology and reduced life span, in part due to increased risk for suicide,” notes the study. “In the current study, we demonstrate that adolescents presenting with a significant suicidal crisis requiring hospital care have higher childhood trauma scores as well as reduced resting morning salivary cortisol and altered mononuclear cell expression of genes encoding the interactive glucocorticoid response elements, NR3C1, FKBP5 and KITLG.”
The study examined adolescents requiring care at the Herman Dana Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Hadassah Medical Organization following a significant suicidal crisis, with Hadassah researchers including doctors Reaan Amer, Fortu Benarroch, Tanya Goltser-Dubner, Esti Galili-Weisstub, Ruth Giesser, Ella Kianski, Michal Lavon, Amit Lotan, Josef Martin, Dalya Pevzner, Ronen Segman, Amit Shalev and Shai Yshai.
