Clinical Applications of Biological Aspects of Suicide (IN: Suicide: Guidelines for Assessment, Management, and Treatment, edited by B Bongar)

Author provides an updated overview of 15 biological measures & considerations with potential clinical use for risk assessment & suicide prevention. The most consistent candidate for potentail use has been serotonin and its metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. None of the measures developed to date have clear and present role in suicide risk assessment. Author concludes that psychobiology of suicide is more an area of ongoing research than a source of practical clinical tools. (74 references)