An EEG signature of suicidal behavior in female patients with major depressive disorder? A non-replication

Introduction: A recent study showed hypoactivity in the beta/gamma band in female suicide ideators and suicide attempters diagnosed with depression, relative to a low-risk group. The current study aimed to conceptually replicate these results. Methods: In the iSPOT-D sub-sample (n = 402), suicide ideators and low-risk individuals were identified. Confining analyses to females only, differences between low-risk individuals and suicide ideators were tested for using the electroencephalogram (EEG) frequency bands SMR (Sensori-Motor-Rhythm; 12 15 Hz), beta (14.5-30 Hz), beta I (14.5 20 Hz), beta II (20 25 Hz), beta III (25 30 Hz), gamma I (31 49 Hz) using LORETA-software. Results: None of the tested frequency bands showed to be significantly different between suicide ideators and low-risk individuals. Conclusions: The current study could not conceptually replicate the earlier published results. Several reasons could explain this non-replication, among which possible electromyographic (EMG) contamination in the beta/gamma band in the original study.

Automated summary

This study aimed to replicate previous findings of hypoactivity in the beta/gamma band in females with suicidal ideation and attempts, but found no significant differences between suicide ideators and low-risk individuals. Possible reasons for non-replication include EMG contamination in the beta/gamma band in the earlier study.