Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Language

English

Publication Date

10-24-2025

Journal

Translational Psychiatry

DOI

10.1038/s41398-025-03602-1

PMID

41136374

PMCID

PMC12552667

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

10-24-2025

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Post-print

Abstract

Previous studies have suggested that alterations in white matter (WM) microstructure are implicated in suicidal thoughts and behaviours (STBs). However, findings of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies have been inconsistent. In this large-scale mega-analysis conducted by the ENIGMA Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviours (ENIGMA-STB) consortium, we examined WM alterations associated with STBs. Data processing was standardised across sites, and resulting WM microstructure measures (fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), mean diffusivity and radial diffusivity) for 24 WM tracts and one global measure were pooled across 40 cohorts. We compared these measures among individuals with a psychiatric diagnosis and lifetime history of suicide attempt (n = 652; mean age = 35.4 ± 14.7; female = 71.8%), individuals with a psychiatric diagnosis but no STB (i.e., clinical controls; n = 1871; mean age = 34 ± 14.8; female = 59.8%), and individuals with no psychiatric diagnosis and no STB (i.e., healthy controls; n = 642; mean age = 29.6 ± 13.1; female = 62.9%). We also compared these measures among individuals with recent suicidal ideation (n = 714; mean age = 36.3 ± 15.3; female = 66.1%), clinical controls (n = 1184; mean age = 36.8 ± 15.6; female = 63.1%), and healthy controls (n = 1240; mean age = 31.6 ± 15.5; female = 61.0%). We found subtle but statistically significant effects, such as lower FA associated with a history of suicide attempt, over and above the effect of psychiatric diagnoses. These effects were strongest in the corona radiata, thalamic radiation, fornix/stria terminalis, corpus callosum and superior longitudinal fasciculus. Recent suicidal ideation was associated with higher AD in the cingulum. Effect sizes were small (partial eta-squared < 0.015). This large-scale coordinated mega-analysis revealed subtle regional and global alterations in WM microstructure in individuals with a history of suicide attempt and recent suicidal ideation. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm whether these alterations are a risk factor for suicidal behaviour or ideation.

Keywords

Humans, White Matter, Suicidal Ideation, Male, Female, Diffusion Tensor Imaging, Adult, Suicide, Attempted, Middle Aged, Mental Disorders, Anisotropy

Published Open-Access

yes

Download

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.