Attention speed and anterior cingulate cortex volume in female and male veterans with suicide ideation and attempts

• DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1495046
• Publication Date: 2025-01-22T11:03:35Z
• Authors: Erin C. McGlade; James R. Yancey; Keenan E. Roberts; Audrey Elias; Chelsea Carson; Jiyoung Ma; Margaret R. Legar...; Deborah A. Yurgel...
• Keywords: Bonferroni correction; Ideation

Introduction An average of 17.5 Veterans died by suicide each day in 2021, highlighting the importance research and prevention efforts aimed at risk. Attentional processes have emerged as a possible predictor behaviors (SB), yet associated neural correlates remain understudied, particularly Veteran population. Methods The current study examines sustained selective attention performance indexed Ruff 2 & 7 Selective Attention Test anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) volume they relate to SB Veterans. A subset also completed structural magnetic resonance imaging protocol. Participants were grouped on history suicidal ideation (SI), attempt (SA), no (HC). Results Analyses from test showed that with SA performed more slowly Automatic Detection Speed (ADS) Controlled Search (CSS) compared SI SB. group differences ADS CSS remained after Bonferroni correction, controlling for depressive anxious symptoms. There between-group Accuracy measures. When analyses divided sex, males than HC Total SI. significant corrections applied, ADS, CSS, Female female only; however, these findings longer No found between groups or Speed. Measures left rostral ACC gray matter (GM) combined male sample positively correlated scores but not SA. Conversely, right GM negatively HC. Right white Discussion These highlight associations speed, volume, even acute mood symptoms, addition emphasizing including sex analyses.