Our findings indicate that hippocampal NR3C1 gene expression is decreased in samples from suicide victims with a history of childhood abuse compared with controls (victims of sudden, accidental death with no history of abuse). In contrast, we found no differences in glucocorticoid receptor expression between suicide victims without a history of childhood abuse and controls. The pattern of results for hippocampal expression of the glucocorticoid receptor 1F variant was identical to that of total glucocorticoid receptor expression. Our findings suggest that changes in glucocorticoid receptor expression are closely associated with a developmental history of familial adversity, in this case a history of childhood abuse, than with suicide completion. These results are also similar to those of earlier reports in which childhood abuse was associated with an increase in pituitary adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) responses to stress among individuals with or without concurrent major depression11. These findings are particularly relevant, as pituitary ACTH directly reflects central activation of the HPA stress response and hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor activation dampens HPA activity.
