Electrodermal Activity in Suicidal and Nonsuicidal Depressive Patients and in Matched Healthy Subjects

Measured EDA in 25 suicidal, 34 nonsuicidal & 59 healthy subjects during stimulation with neutral tone stimuli. Suicidal behavior, especially with attempts, was related to low electrodermal responsivity & low stimulus-unrelated phasic activity, but unrelated to tonic EDA. Electrodermal hyporesponsivity, observed regardless of whether the attempt was made before or during the current depression, may yield additional valuable information when estimating suicide risk in patients in clinical work.