High-Gamma: A biological marker for suicide attempt in patients with depression.

Background: Quantitative EEG (qEEG) analysis can be used to evaluate brain correlates of human psychology in all aspects. As the gamma oscillations of qEEG rhythms are related to depression, and particularly to treatment resistance, they may also be related to suicidality.
Aim: The present study aimed to identify the neural correlates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt in depression using qEEG, based on the hypothesis that gamma rhythm in patients with depression would be higher in patients with suicidal ideation and suicide attempt.
Method: qEEG were recorded in 533 participants (276 female). Groups were divided into the following: Non-suicidal (n = 218), Suicide Ideation (n = 211), Suicide Attempt (n = 74), and control (n = 30).
Results: High-gamma power at the F4, Fz, C4, Cz, O2, F8, T5 and T6 regions was significantly higher in the Suicide Ideation than the other groups.
Conclusion: If confirmed by further studies, high-gamma rhythm has the potential to be used as a biomarker for screening suicidality.
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