Suicide and genetics: Study identifies 12 DNA variations that could increase the risk
Preprogrammed to self-cull. Amazing.
Wonder what the DNA predisposition to criminality looks like.
...to self-cull under certain conditions. Possibly an unintended side effect of sometimes-beneficial mutations, similar to how sickle cell anemia confers resistance to malaria when the gene is inherited from only one parent, but causes serious health problems when inherited from both. | [FoxNews] Genetics could determine the likelihood of suicide, a new study suggests.
Researchers from the University of Utah Health have identified 12 genetic variations that are linked to a higher risk of suicide attempts, according to a study published this month in The American Journal of Psychiatry.
Scientists across several hospitals conducted a worldwide analysis of almost one million people across 22 different populations, Anna Docherty, PhD, the study’s corresponding author and associate professor of psychiatry at Huntsman Mental Health Institute at the University of Utah, told Fox News Digital.
Then they identified the genetic variations that were more common among the 43,871 people who attempted suicide.
This was the largest-ever genetic study of suicide, according to the university’s press release.
"Several new areas of DNA were discovered that link to a risk for suicide," Doherty said.
While the genetic risk for suicide is related to the genetic risk for depression, there are other risks involved, the researcher noted.
"Genetic risk in this study also links to mental health conditions like ADHD, alcohol use disorder and PTSD," she said.
"We were surprised by the links to health problems including smoking, chronic pain and cardiovascular disease," Doherty went on. "These links were strong even when we accounted for the risk of depression or PTSD."
That doesn’t necessarily mean that anyone with one of those health conditions is at a greater risk of suicide, noted Hillary Coon, PhD, study co-author and professor of psychiatry at Huntsman Mental Health Institute at the University of Utah.
The takeaway is that the genetic variations, when combined with other stressors, could heighten the risk.
Posted by: Skidmark 2023-10-21 |