Suicidal behaviour is a serious health problem contributed by many biological, psychological, and social factors. Besides psychotherapeutic aprroaches, psychopharmacological treatment is necessary for many suicidal patients. However, to date there is no specific treatment of suicidality.

The course will be structured in three sections. In the first section we will address the biological bases of suicidal behaviour, pointing out recent findings in molecular genetics. We will also discuss the role of the serotonergic and other neurotransmission systems in this behaviour, and the relationship between aggession, impulsivity and suicidality.

In the second section we will review psychological and clinical aspects of suicidal behaviour. Systematic clinical assessment of suicidal risk will be also discussed.

Finally, in the third section, we will go deeply in the pharmacological approaches of acute suicidality after psychosocial stress, as well as, suicidality related to psychiatric disorders, reviewing the controversial role of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) in the treatment of depression in children and adolescents.