Inhibitory Mechanisms of Negative Urgency in Adolescent Suicidal Behavior
University of Minnesota
Summary
The goal of this study is to understand why some people act more impulsively when feeling negative emotions, which is called negative urgency. The researchers hope to understand how negative urgency relates to the way networks of brain cells communicate with one another. The researchers will measure negative urgency and brain signals in adolescents aged 13-21 years with depression and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Whether a type of brain signaling called cortical inhibition is related to negative urgency * Whether depressed adolescents with suicidal behavior have more problems with cortical inhibition than depressed adolescents with suicidal thoughts only * Whether the relationship between negative urgency and cortical inhibition changes over time Adolescents who participate in the study will complete the following activities at the time they join the study, as well as 6 months and 12 months later: * Interviews with researchers and questionnaires to learn about their thoughts, emotions, and symptoms * A questionnaire about impulsive behaviors and negative urgency * Computerized games that measure brain functions * An MRI scan of the brain * Transcranial magnetic stimulation with electroencephalography (TMS-EEG), a way to measure how brain cells communicate (cortical inhibition) using a magnet placed outside of the head and recording brain signals
Description
This project will study the neural underpinnings of impulsivity in adolescent suicidal behavior (SB). Suicide is the second leading cause of death in adolescence, and rates of adolescent SB are increasing. However, its neurobiology remains poorly understood, and treatments specifically targeting SB are lacking. SB in adolescents is a critical public health problem that demands urgent attention, particularly with research that will rapidly translate knowledge to clinical applications. Negative urgency, a component of impulsivity, is the tendency to act rashly in the context of negative emotion.…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 13–21 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Ages 13-21 years (inclusive) * Any sex, gender, race, or ethnicity * For participants 18 years of age or older, ability to provide written informed consent * For participants under 18 years of age, ability to provide written assent, with legal guardian's ability to provide written informed consent * Ability of participant (and parent/guardian, if applicable) to read and to communicate verbally and in writing in English (in order to permit comprehensive assessment of suicide risk by study team, and to facilitate safety planning and mitigation of suicide-related risks as n…
Interventions
- OtherSingle-/paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation
Single-/paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (sp/ppTMS) is a technique for noninvasive assessment of brain physiology by delivering single or paired magnetic stimuli to the scalp with an electromagnetic coil. This results in transient induction of cortical electrical activity, which can be measured as evoked potentials by electromyography (EMG) and electroencephalography (EEG). Note that sp/ppTMS is used for neurophysiologic measurements; it is distinct from other TMS applications such as repetitive TMS, which can be used as interventions.
Location
- University of MinnesotaMinneapolis, Minnesota