Most children and teens between ages 10 to 17 who died by firearm suicide used a firearm that belonged to their parent, and often the firearm had been stored unlocked, according to research presented during the American Academy of Pediatrics 2025 National Conference & Exhibition. The research, “Who are the Firearm Owners in Youth Firearm Suicide?”  will be presented during the conference, held at the Colorado Convention Center from Sept. 26-30. The retrospective cohort study of 1,021 firearm suicides by youth ages 10-24 years was based on data from nine states from 2018-2021 reported to the CDC National Violent Death Reporting System. Compared to suicides by young adults (ages 20-24 years), the gun used in child suicide (ages 10-17) was 10 times more likely to be owned by a parent, the study found.

Depression is a heterogeneous mental illness with substantial personal and societal burdens, yet its diagnosis still relies heavily on subjective assessments. Recent advances in blood-based metabolomics have opened new avenues for identifying objective biomarkers associated with depressive symptoms. This review highlights key findings from multicenter clinical and translational research that demonstrate reproducible associations between specific plasma metabolites—such as 3-hydroxybutyrate, betaine, citrate, creatinine, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)—and the severity of depressive states. Several metabolites also appear to be linked to distinct symptom domains, including suicidal ideation (SI), a critical risk factor for self-harm. Notably, combinations of citrate and kynurenine have shown potential for SI severity estimation through machine learning models, suggesting a basis for minimally invasive risk stratification. In parallel, rodent models of stress-induced depression reveal consistent alterations in tryptophan and alanine metabolism, providing insight into possible causal mechanisms involving neurotransmitter biosynthesis and intestinal absorption under stress. Personality-based biotyping and artificial intelligence further refine the stratification of depressive phenotypes, offering prospects for more personalized diagnostics. Although methodological standardization and broader validation remain necessary, accumulating evidence supports the clinical utility of blood metabolomics as a complementary tool for early detection, subtype classification, and suicide risk assessment in depression.

About The Study: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, an increase in alcohol consumption per capita was associated with an increase in the suicide mortality rate at the population level and that the association was similar across sexes. As such, alcohol consumption per capita may be a useful target to consider within comprehensive national suicide prevention strategies.

A new international study presented today at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress 2025 reveals that adults with atopic eczema (AE) are significantly more likely to experience suicidal thoughts, with researchers uncovering the key factors driving this elevated risk.

New research has shown how harmful gambling is clearly linked to a marked and long-lasting increase in suicide attempts among young people in the UK.

About The Study: In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 18 trials, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) significantly improved glycemic, weight, and cardiometabolic outcomes in children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes or obesity. Available data over a relatively short follow-up suggested suicidal ideation or behaviors were not significantly different, although gastrointestinal adverse effects warrant attention in long-term management.