Lipid profiles in major depression, both with and without metabolic syndrome: associations with suicidal behaviors and neuroticism

Abstract Background Significant associations exist between major depressive disorder (MDD), metabolic syndrome (MetS), and cardiovascular disease, potentially attributable to heightened atherogenicity. This study aimed to ascertain if MDD, depression severity, suicidal behaviors, and neuroticism ass...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ketsupar Jirakran, Asara Vasupanrajit, Chavit Tunvirachaisakul, Abbas F. Almulla, Marta Kubera, Michael Maes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-04-01
Series:BMC Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06734-2
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850145139864895488
author Ketsupar Jirakran
Asara Vasupanrajit
Chavit Tunvirachaisakul
Abbas F. Almulla
Marta Kubera
Michael Maes
author_facet Ketsupar Jirakran
Asara Vasupanrajit
Chavit Tunvirachaisakul
Abbas F. Almulla
Marta Kubera
Michael Maes
author_sort Ketsupar Jirakran
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Significant associations exist between major depressive disorder (MDD), metabolic syndrome (MetS), and cardiovascular disease, potentially attributable to heightened atherogenicity. This study aimed to ascertain if MDD, depression severity, suicidal behaviors, and neuroticism associate with elevated pro-atherogenic indices and reduced anti-atherogenic indices, including a reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) index. Methods This study comprised 34 healthy controls and 33 MDD patients without MetS, and 35 controls and 31 MDD patients with MetS. It assessed total cholesterol (TC) and free cholesterol (FC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), triglycerides (TG), apolipoprotein (ApoA), ApoB, cholesterol esterification rate, and a RCT composite. Results No significant associations between MDD and lipids were seen in the total study group that combined individuals with and without MetS. In individuals devoid of MetS, MDD is significantly correlated with (a) elevated FC, TG, ApoB, Castelli risk index 1, and ApoB/ApoA, and (b) diminished HDLc, ApoA, and RCT index. In individuals without MetS, there are notable correlations between the severity of depression, suicidal tendencies, neuroticism, and ApoB/ApoA, Castelli risk, and RCT indices. Conclusions The link between lipids and MDD features cannot be adequately estimated by combining participants with and without MetS. It should be examined in a study sample that excludes subjects with MetS. The depression phenome, suicidal behaviors, and neuroticism correlate with diminished RCT and heightened atherogenicity, which are likely implicated in the pathophysiology of MDD. Increased atherogenicity and lowered RCT may represent novel drug targets for the treatment and prevention of MDD, neuroticism, and suicidal behaviors.
format Article
id doaj-art-c3549c483b8e4ae7aeea4e37efff8cb8
institution OA Journals
issn 1471-244X
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Psychiatry
spelling doaj-art-c3549c483b8e4ae7aeea4e37efff8cb82025-08-20T02:28:10ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2025-04-0125111610.1186/s12888-025-06734-2Lipid profiles in major depression, both with and without metabolic syndrome: associations with suicidal behaviors and neuroticismKetsupar Jirakran0Asara Vasupanrajit1Chavit Tunvirachaisakul2Abbas F. Almulla3Marta Kubera4Michael Maes5School of Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, the, Thai Red Cross Societyaq Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, the, Thai Red Cross Societyaq School of Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaDepartment of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Maj Institute of PharmacologySchool of Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaAbstract Background Significant associations exist between major depressive disorder (MDD), metabolic syndrome (MetS), and cardiovascular disease, potentially attributable to heightened atherogenicity. This study aimed to ascertain if MDD, depression severity, suicidal behaviors, and neuroticism associate with elevated pro-atherogenic indices and reduced anti-atherogenic indices, including a reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) index. Methods This study comprised 34 healthy controls and 33 MDD patients without MetS, and 35 controls and 31 MDD patients with MetS. It assessed total cholesterol (TC) and free cholesterol (FC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), triglycerides (TG), apolipoprotein (ApoA), ApoB, cholesterol esterification rate, and a RCT composite. Results No significant associations between MDD and lipids were seen in the total study group that combined individuals with and without MetS. In individuals devoid of MetS, MDD is significantly correlated with (a) elevated FC, TG, ApoB, Castelli risk index 1, and ApoB/ApoA, and (b) diminished HDLc, ApoA, and RCT index. In individuals without MetS, there are notable correlations between the severity of depression, suicidal tendencies, neuroticism, and ApoB/ApoA, Castelli risk, and RCT indices. Conclusions The link between lipids and MDD features cannot be adequately estimated by combining participants with and without MetS. It should be examined in a study sample that excludes subjects with MetS. The depression phenome, suicidal behaviors, and neuroticism correlate with diminished RCT and heightened atherogenicity, which are likely implicated in the pathophysiology of MDD. Increased atherogenicity and lowered RCT may represent novel drug targets for the treatment and prevention of MDD, neuroticism, and suicidal behaviors.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06734-2Major depressionLipidsReverse cholesterol transportMood disordersAtherogenicityCardiovascular disease
spellingShingle Ketsupar Jirakran
Asara Vasupanrajit
Chavit Tunvirachaisakul
Abbas F. Almulla
Marta Kubera
Michael Maes
Lipid profiles in major depression, both with and without metabolic syndrome: associations with suicidal behaviors and neuroticism
BMC Psychiatry
Major depression
Lipids
Reverse cholesterol transport
Mood disorders
Atherogenicity
Cardiovascular disease
title Lipid profiles in major depression, both with and without metabolic syndrome: associations with suicidal behaviors and neuroticism
title_full Lipid profiles in major depression, both with and without metabolic syndrome: associations with suicidal behaviors and neuroticism
title_fullStr Lipid profiles in major depression, both with and without metabolic syndrome: associations with suicidal behaviors and neuroticism
title_full_unstemmed Lipid profiles in major depression, both with and without metabolic syndrome: associations with suicidal behaviors and neuroticism
title_short Lipid profiles in major depression, both with and without metabolic syndrome: associations with suicidal behaviors and neuroticism
title_sort lipid profiles in major depression both with and without metabolic syndrome associations with suicidal behaviors and neuroticism
topic Major depression
Lipids
Reverse cholesterol transport
Mood disorders
Atherogenicity
Cardiovascular disease
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06734-2
work_keys_str_mv AT ketsuparjirakran lipidprofilesinmajordepressionbothwithandwithoutmetabolicsyndromeassociationswithsuicidalbehaviorsandneuroticism
AT asaravasupanrajit lipidprofilesinmajordepressionbothwithandwithoutmetabolicsyndromeassociationswithsuicidalbehaviorsandneuroticism
AT chavittunvirachaisakul lipidprofilesinmajordepressionbothwithandwithoutmetabolicsyndromeassociationswithsuicidalbehaviorsandneuroticism
AT abbasfalmulla lipidprofilesinmajordepressionbothwithandwithoutmetabolicsyndromeassociationswithsuicidalbehaviorsandneuroticism
AT martakubera lipidprofilesinmajordepressionbothwithandwithoutmetabolicsyndromeassociationswithsuicidalbehaviorsandneuroticism
AT michaelmaes lipidprofilesinmajordepressionbothwithandwithoutmetabolicsyndromeassociationswithsuicidalbehaviorsandneuroticism