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Pharmacopsychiatry 1995; 28(3): 77-79
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-979594
Original Paper

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Red-Cell and Serum Folate Levels in Depressed Inpatients who Commit Violent Suicide: A Comparison with Control Groups

M. Wolfersdorf1 , F. Keller1 , V. Maier2 , W. Fröscher3 , W. P. Kaschka1
  • 1Weissenau State Mental Hospital, Department of Psychiatry University of Ulm, Acute Psychiatry and Depression Treatment Ward, Ravensburg-Weißenau, Germany
  • 2Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ulm, Germany
  • 3Department of Neurology, Weißenau State Mental Hospital, Ravensburg-Weißenau, Germany
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Publication History

Publication Date:
23 April 2007 (online)

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Abstract

There has been some discussion in the recent literature regarding the possible relationship between peripheral levels of folate and serotonin deficiency in the CNS. At the same time, such a serotonin deficiency has been implicated in the biology of suicidal behavior. Thus, decreased peripheral folate levels may be expected in patients who commit violent suicide. In this study, the red-cell and serum folate levels in nine persons who later committed suicide are compared with those in age- and sex-matched control groups. A one-way analysis of variance showed no significant difference between the groups.