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. 2023 Dec;53(6):922-939.
doi: 10.1111/sltb.12993. Epub 2023 Aug 14.

Examination of proinflammatory activity as a moderator of the relation between momentary interpersonal stress and suicidal ideation

Annamarie B Defayette  1   2 , Christianne Esposito-Smythers  1 , Ian Cero  2 , Evan M Kleiman  3 , Roberto López Jr  1 , Katherine M Harris  1 , Emma D Whitmyre  1
Affiliations

Examination of proinflammatory activity as a moderator of the relation between momentary interpersonal stress and suicidal ideation

Annamarie B Defayette et al. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2023 Dec.

Abstract

Introduction: Peer-related interpersonal stress can increase risk for suicidal thoughts among adolescents and young adults. However, not all individuals who undergo peer-related interpersonal stressors experience suicidal thoughts. Heightened proinflammatory activity is one factor that may amplify the relation between interpersonal stress and suicidal thinking.

Methods: This pilot study examined the relation between interpersonal stress and suicidal ideation in real time, as well as whether proinflammatory cytokine (IL-6 and TNF-α) activity across a laboratory social stressor moderated this association in a sample of 42 emerging adults with recent suicidal ideation. Participants completed 28 days of 6×/daily ecological momentary assessment that assessed for suicidal ideation (presence vs. absence, ideation intensity), occurrence of negative peer events, and feelings of exclusion.

Results: There was a trend for within-person increases in feelings of exclusion to be associated with increases in concurrent suicidal ideation intensity. Additionally, within-person increases in negative peer events were associated with increased odds of subsequent suicidal ideation among individuals with very low IL-6 activity. However, this finding is considered preliminary.

Conclusion: Interventions targeting perceptions of exclusion and increasing social support may be of benefit. However, findings require replication in larger samples, and thus must be interpreted with caution.

Keywords: emerging adults; interpersonal stress; proinflammatory activity; proinflammatory cytokines; suicidal ideation; suicide risk.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Observation-Level Time Series Plots of Exclusion, Negative Peer Events, and Suicidal Ideation Intensity
Figure 1
Figure 1
Observation-Level Time Series Plots of Exclusion, Negative Peer Events, and Suicidal Ideation Intensity
Figure 1
Figure 1
Observation-Level Time Series Plots of Exclusion, Negative Peer Events, and Suicidal Ideation Intensity
Figure 2
Figure 2
Johnson-Neyman Plot of the Relation Between IL-6 Activity and the Effect of Number of Negative Peer Events on Odds of Suicidal Ideation at Next Time Point Note. Y-axis displays the relation between number of negative peer events at time T and odds of presence vs. absence of SI at time T+1. Region of significance represents the IL-6 activity values at which there is an association between number of negative peer events and the odds of presence vs. absence of SI. Nonsignificant region indicates the IL-6 activity values at which there is no association between number of negative peer events and the odds of presence vs. absence of SI.
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