No significant differences were found between AC and HC. No differences were found for the anterior and mid thirds of the CC. Conclusions
Our findings emphasize a reduced size of the posterior third of the CC in subjects with a history of suicide, suggesting a diminished interhemispheric connectivity and a possible role of CC in the pathophysiology of suicidal behavior. Further studies are needed to strengthen these results and clarify the underlying cellular changes leading to these morphometric differences.
Suicidal behavior is associated with reduced corpus callosum area
 
  Keywords
 
 
  
   Corpus callosum
  
 
 
  
   Magnetic resonance imaging
  
 
 
  
   Suicidal behavior
  
 
Abstract
Background
Corpus callosum (CC) size has been associated with <dis>cognitive and emotional deficits</dis> in a range of <dis>neuropsychiatric and mood disorders</dis>.
As such deficits are also found in suicidal behavior, we investigated specifically the association between CC atrophy and suicidal behavior.
Methods
We studied 435 right-handed individuals <scp><neg>without</neg> <dis>dementia</dis></scp> from a cohort of community-dwelling persons aged 65 years and over (the ESPRIT study).
They were divided in three groups: suicide attempters (n = 21), affective control subjects (AC) (n = 180) without history of suicide attempt but with a history of depression, and healthy control subjects (HC) (n = 234).
T1-weighted magnetic resonance images were traced to measure the midsagittal areas of the anterior, mid, and posterior CC.
Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to compare CC areas in the 3 groups.
Results
Multivariate analyses adjusted for age, gender, childhood trauma, head trauma, and total brain volume showed that the area of the posterior third of CC was significantly smaller in suicide attempters than in AC ( _P_ = .020) and HC ( _P_ = .010) individuals.
No significant differences were found between AC and HC.
No differences were found for the anterior and mid thirds of the CC.
Conclusions
Our findings emphasize a reduced size of the posterior third of the CC in subjects with a history of suicide, suggesting a diminished interhemispheric connectivity and a possible role of CC in the pathophysiology of suicidal behavior.
Further studies are needed to strengthen these results and clarify the underlying cellular changes leading to these morphometric differences.

Abstract
Background
Corpus callosum (CC) size has been associated with cognitive and emotional deficits in a range of neuropsychiatric and mood disorders.
As such deficits are also found in suicidal behavior, we investigated specifically the association between CC atrophy and suicidal behavior.
Methods
We studied 435 right-handed individuals without dementia from a cohort of community-dwelling persons aged 65 years and over (the ESPRIT study).
They were divided in three groups: suicide attempters (n = 21), affective control subjects (AC) (n = 180) without history of suicide attempt but with a history of depression, and healthy control subjects (HC) (n = 234).
T1-weighted magnetic resonance images were traced to measure the midsagittal areas of the anterior, mid, and posterior CC.
Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to compare CC areas in the 3 groups.
Results
Multivariate analyses adjusted for age, gender, childhood trauma, head trauma, and total brain volume showed that the area of the posterior third of CC was significantly smaller in suicide attempters than in AC ( _P_ = .020) and HC ( _P_ = .010) individuals.
No significant differences were found between AC and HC.
No differences were found for the anterior and mid thirds of the CC.
Conclusions
Our findings emphasize a reduced size of the posterior third of the CC in subjects with a history of suicide, suggesting a diminished interhemispheric connectivity and a possible role of CC in the pathophysiology of suicidal behavior.
Further studies are needed to strengthen these results and clarify the underlying cellular changes leading to these morphometric differences.

No significant differences were found between AC and HC. No differences were found for the anterior and mid thirds of the CC. Conclusions
Our findings emphasize a reduced size of the posterior third of the CC in subjects with a history of suicide, suggesting a diminished interhemispheric connectivity and a possible role of CC in the pathophysiology of suicidal behavior. Further studies are needed to strengthen these results and clarify the underlying cellular changes leading to these morphometric differences.