Life-Time Adversities, Reported Thirteen Years After a Suicide Attempt: Relationship to Recovery, 5HTTLPR Genotype, and Past and Present Morbidity

The authors investigated how adversities related to past & present morbidity & genotype. 42 suicide attempters & 22 matched control patients were followed-up after 13 years. Life-time adversities were explored in an interview & the patients were given a psychiatric reassessment. The serotonin transporter linked promotor region (5-HTTLPR) was typed. More adversities were reported by suicide attempters than controls & by still-ill than recovered suicide attempters. Adversities reported at follow-up were related to psychiatric morbidity at follow-up but not to morbidity 13 years earlier. The 5-HTTLPR genotype was associated with reported adversities but not chances of recovery. Adversities potentially affected chronic morbidity. (45 refs.)