Brain grey and white matter structural associations with future suicidal ideation and behaviors in adolescent and young adult females with mood disorders

Background To reduce suicide in females with mood disorders, it is critical to understand brain substrates underlying their vulnerability to future suicidal ideation and behaviors (SIBs) in adolescence and young adulthood. In an international collaboration, grey and white matter structure was investigated in adolescent and young adult females with future suicidal behaviors (fSB) and ideation (fSI), and without SIBs (fnonSIB). Methods Structural (n = 91) and diffusion‐weighted (n = 88) magnetic resonance imaging scans at baseline and SIB measures at follow‐up on average two years later (standard deviation, SD = 1 year) were assessed in 92 females [age(SD) = 16.1(2.6) years] with bipolar disorder (BD, 28.3%) or major depressive disorder (MDD, 71.7%). One‐way analyses of covariance comparing baseline regional grey matter cortical surface area, thickness, subcortical grey volumes, or white matter tensor‐based fractional anisotropy across fSB (n = 40, 43.5%), fSI (n = 33, 35.9%) and fnonSIB (n = 19, 20.6%) groups were followed by pairwise comparisons in significant regions (p