Low cholesterol levels linked to mania

This study was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders 2007 Jan;97(1-3):247-51

Study title and authors:
Platelet serotonin and serum lipids in psychotic mania.

Sagud M, Mihaljevic-Peles A, Pivac N, Jakovljevic M, Muck-Seler D.
University Hospital Center Zagreb, Department of Psychiatry, Kispaticeva 12, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16820211

One of the aims of this study was to determine the relationship between cholesterol levels and mania. The study included 40 male patients with type I bipolar affective disorder, current episode mania (DSM-IV criteria), and in 32 healthy male subjects.

The study found:
(a) The cholesterol levels of the patients with mania were 14% lower than the cholesterol levels of the healthy subjects.
(b) The HDL cholesterol levels of the patients with mania were 7% lower than the HDL cholesterol levels of the healthy subjects.
(c) The LDL cholesterol levels of the patients with mania were 20% lower than the LDL cholesterol levels of the healthy subjects.

The study shows that patients with mania have low levels of cholesterol and LDL cholesterol compared to healthy people.

Low cholesterol levels are associated with an increased risk of suicidal behaviour

This study was published in Psychiatria Polska 1996 Sep-Oct;30(5):699-712

Study title and authors:
The study of the relationship between cholesterol and lipid concentration and suicidal behavior in patients with schizophrenia affective illness
Rybakowski J, Ainiyet J, Szajnerman Z, Zakrzewska M.
Kliniki Psychiatrii Dorosłych AM w Poznaniu.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8984512

This study investigated the association of cholesterol levels with suicidal behaviour in patients admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Cholesterol levels were recorded in 143 patients with either schizophrenia, depression, or mania.

The study found:
(a)  Patients with suicidal behaviours had significantly lower levels of cholesterol compared with patients without such behaviours.
(b) Patients with suicidal behaviours had significantly lower levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol compared with patients without such behaviours.

The finding of the study reveal that low cholesterol levels are associated with an increased risk of suicidal behaviour in patients with psychiatric disorders.