Suicide Gene Identified

Researchers identify a gene that is more likely to be carried by people who are suicidal than depressed individuals who are not.

Written byJef Akst

| 2 min read

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WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, RAGESOSS

The fact that suicide can run in families, as well as more direct studies of heritability involving twins or adopted individuals, has suggested a genetic component to suicidal behavior, but what genes are involved has remained unclear. Now, researchers have identified a gene variant that is more common in those who have attempted suicide than in those who have not. The findings provide a potential DNA marker for suicide risk that could help doctors recognize which patients need supervision.

“If we knew who had an enhanced risk of suicide, we could change our approach to their care,” said John Mann, chief neuroscientist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, told The Guardian. “We could warn the family and ask them to be extra vigilant, we ...

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Meet the Author

Jef Akst
Jef (an unusual nickname for Jennifer) got her master’s degree from Indiana University in April 2009 studying the mating behavior of seahorses. After four years of diving off the Gulf Coast of Tampa and performing behavioral experiments at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, she left research to pursue a career in science writing. As The Scientist's managing editor, Jef edited features and oversaw the production of the TS Digest and quarterly print magazine. In 2022, her feature on uterus transplantation earned first place in the trade category of the Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
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