Story perspectives

Heightened Insula Response to Loss Predicts Teens' Suicide Thoughts

5/22/2026

Summary

Story summary

Researchers found that impulsive adolescents with heightened anterior insula response to loss reported suicidal thoughts a year later.
63 adolescents aged 13-17 (59% female) with a parent with depression or schizophrenia completed an fMRI guessing game with $1 wins, 50 cent losses, and $10 reward.
High insula activation amplified, low activation reduced, the impulsivity–suicidal thought link; authors noted the modest sample and loss size in a 2026 Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience article.

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Story summary

Researchers found that impulsive adolescents with heightened anterior insula response to loss reported suicidal thoughts a year later.
63 adolescents aged 13-17 (59% female) with a parent with depression or schizophrenia completed an fMRI guessing game with $1 wins, 50 cent losses, and $10 reward.
High insula activation amplified, low activation reduced, the impulsivity–suicidal thought link; authors noted the modest sample and loss size in a 2026 Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience article.