IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences (IOSR-JDMS) e-ISSN: 2279-0853, p-ISSN: 2279-0861.Volume 15, Issue 5 Ver. II (May. 2016), PP 60-63 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/0853-1505026063 www.iosrjournals.org 60 | Page Cholesterol Levels and Suicidal Behavior: A Case Control Study in A Tertiary Care Rural Health Centre in Central India Dr. Nikhil Goel 1 ,Dr. Prakash Behere 2 1 Senior Resident, Department Of Psychiatry, Bhagat Phool Singh Government Medical College, Khanpur Kalan, Sonepat, Haryana 2 Professor & Head Of Department, Department Of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Sawangi Meghe, Wardha, Maharashtra Abstract: Background: In modern psychiatry, there is a movement to understand mental health, not solely based on behaviors and subjective report, but also based on objective markers of illness. Several studies have focused on a relationship between serum cholesterol levels and aggressive behaviors including suicide. Aim: To identify a potential link between cholesterol and suicidal behavior. Material and methods: 150 patients with psychiatry diagnosis were divided into three equal groups (50 each): those who had a recent suicidal attempt, those who had suicidal ideations but no attempts and those with psychiatry diagnosis but no suicidal ideations and attempts. Blood sample for total cholesterol level was on IPD or OPD basis. The study was started after taking approval from institute ethical committee. Analysis was done using Chi square test. Observations And Results: It was found that maximum patients who attempted suicide belonged to major depression and schizophrenia followed by substance dependence and bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) with major depression and there was statistical difference in cholesterol levels of patients with suicide attempt, with suicidal ideations and control group. 42% and 44% of major depression and schizophrenia cases respectively had low total serum cholesterol levels (below 160 mg %). Conclusion: There is a potential link between serum total cholesterol levels and suicidal behavior. Taking the literature as a whole there is substantial evidence that low cholesterol levels are found in suicidal behaviors of various psychiatric illnesses especially major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, substance dependence and bipolar depressive disorder. Keywords: Suicide, depression, schizophrenia, cholesterol, alcohol use I. Introduction In psychiatry a psychiatrist has the responsibility of assessing dangerousness. Many a times patients are hospitalized involuntarily, based on an evaluation of the patient's risk of attempting suicide, committing homicide. Demographic indicators identify various levels of risk but the prediction of dangerous behavior continues to generate a large number of false positive and negative results. In modern psychiatry, there is a movement to understand mental health, not solely based on behaviors and subjective report, but also based on objective markers of illness. These markers can be in the form of functional imaging, genetic analysis and measurements of neurotransmitter levels. It is not surprising, therefore, that researchers are examining the correlation between behavioral manifestations of mental illness and objective laboratory values. In particular, several studies have focused on a relationship between serum cholesterol levels and aggressive behaviors including suicide (7). Cholesterol is richly present in central nervous system of the brain and is important in mainly cellular structure and function. Cholesterol changes the fluidity of cell membranes, membrane permeability, exchange processes, and may influence serotonergic function (16). Cholesterol depletion may impair function of 5-HT1A and 5-HT7 receptors and serotonin receptor activity (6,16). Over time, lower cholesterol levels may further decrease the expression of serotonin receptors and cause a reduction in serotonergic activity. A correlation between low levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in cerebrospinal fluid and cholesterol has been shown in suicide attempters (2). In our country there is paucity of studies regarding this matter. Considering the magnitude of problem, such studies can be of vital importance regarding diet and other behavioral modifications.With the growing evidence of a correlation between low cholesterol levels and increased rates of suicide, there is an attempt to identify a potential link between cholesterol & suicidal behavior.