Inflammation and stress in young adults with suicidal behavior
1/2 Inflammation and Stress Response in Familial and Nonfamilial Youth Suicidal Behavior
This project looks at whether inflammation and stress-related biology differ in young adults (18–30) who have had a recent suicidal crisis, and how family history changes those patterns.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11235867 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will recruit young adults who recently experienced a suicidal crisis and collect clinical information, family history, and biological samples soon after the event. They will measure markers of inflammation, stress hormones (HPA axis), and the tryptophan–kynurenine/serotonin pathway in blood and related measures. The team will compare biological profiles between people with and without a family history of suicidal behavior to separate likely long-term (familial) from short-term (proximal) risk patterns. Findings will be used to better understand how inflammation and stress biology relate to more lethal suicidal behavior.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are psychiatric inpatients or outpatients aged 18–30 who have recently experienced an acute suicidal crisis or suicidal behavior and can provide medical and family history.
Not a fit: People younger than 18, older than 30, or those without a recent suicidal crisis are unlikely to be eligible or directly benefit from this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify biological signs that improve short-term suicide risk prediction and inform personalized prevention approaches.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked inflammation, HPA axis changes, and kynurenine/serotonin shifts to suicidal behavior, but using immediate post-crisis sampling to separate familial versus short-term risk is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Melhem, Nadine M. — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Melhem, Nadine M.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.