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Functional Imaging of Psychic Pain

Neuro Anatomic Basis of Psychic Pain in Depression and Suicidal Behaviour

Status
Terminated
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01493323
Enrollment
123
Registered
2011-12-15
Start date
2010-05-31
Completion date
2014-12-31
Last updated
2014-12-04

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Suicide, Attempted, Mood Disorder

Keywords

Psychic pain, Social exclusion, Mood disorders, Suicide, attempted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Functional, Genetic, Physic pain

Brief summary

Suicidal behaviour (SB) represents a major public health problem, costing life in more that one million people every year worldwide. Even if SB is considered as a consequence of social adversity and depression, these stress factors are often necessary but not sufficient to explain the occurrence of a suicidal act. A preliminary study suggests that an increased perception of psychic pain during a major depressive disorder increases the risk of suicide behaviour. The investigators aimed to investigate the relationship between social exclusion (a classic trigger of psychic pain) and SB and improve our knowledge about the physiopathology of this domain.

Detailed description

Suicide behaviour (SB) represents a major public health problem. In order to improve prevention strategies, a better understanding of the physiopathology of SB is needed. According to a stress vulnerability model, people who make a suicide attempt when they are subject to a stress factor (environmental stress, interpersonal difficulties, depression, tobacco, substance abuse...) are those who have a specific vulnerability. Vulnerability factors to SB may be considered in clinical terms (propensity to hopelessness, aggressive impulsivity traits), neurobiological terms (serotoninergic system disorder, especially in the ventral prefrontal cortex-vPFC) and cognitive terms (decision making, cognitive functions mediated by the vPFC and the serotoninergic system). Finally, genetic factors seem also involved in suicide vulnerability. The investigators have conducted a preliminary study which suggests that increased perception of psychic pain during a major depressive disorder increases suicidal ideation and suicidal act. Study about anatomic basis of psychic pain and its triggers represents a relevant theme to understand the suicidal process. Among the classical factors triggering psychic pain and suicidal act, events of social exclusion appears to be crucial. Finally, many data suggests the close relationship between physic and psychic pain.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALAssessment of personality traits

suicide behaviour , psychic pain, social exclusion, decision making...

BEHAVIORALAssessment of suicidal act

suicide behaviour , psychic pain, social exclusion, decision making...

suicide behaviour , psychic pain, social exclusion, decision making...

PROCEDURECyber ball game

functional neuroimaging

functional neuroimaging

PROCEDUREMicrocomputer

functional neuroimaging

PROCEDUREblood sample

blood sample

Sponsors

University Hospital, Geneva
CollaboratorOTHER
Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche Médicale, France
CollaboratorOTHER_GOV
University Hospital, Montpellier
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 50 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

Non specific criteria, for all the participants: * Woman- 18-50 years old * Non menopausal * Right-handed * Caucasian from western Europe (exception of Basque and Sardinian), for genetic purposes * Subject who signed informed consent * Able to understand the nature, the aim, and the methodology of the study and agree to cooperate during clinical and radiological evaluation Specific criteria:For depressed suicide attempters : * DSM IV criteria for major depressive disorder * Personal history of suicide attempt * No psychotropic treatment currently For depressed affective controls : * DSM IV criteria for major depressive disorder * No personal history of suicide attempt * No psychotropic treatment currently For non depressed suicide attempters : * Personal history of unipolar or bipolar mood disorder, according to DSM IV criteria * Normothymic currently (HAMD\<7) * Personal history of suicide attempt * Minimum treatment Healthy controls : * No personal history of axis I psychiatric disorders according to the MINI and the DSM IV criteria

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Cerebral regions associated with psychic pain during a major depressive disorderOne dayMagnetic Resonance Imaging to visualize cerebral regions associated with psychic pain during a major depressive disorder
Cerebral regions associated with perception of social exclusionOne dayMagnetic Resonance Imaging to visualize the cerebral regions associated with perception of social exclusion

Countries

France

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026