Genetic influences on suicide risk

Establishing that a psychiatric disorder or behavior has a genetic component usually requires clinical, twin, adoption and laboratory studies. Such studies exist in the suicide literature. For example. clinical history of suicide indicates that an individual may be at raised risk for both completed suicide and attempts at suicide, Twin studies have shown that monozygotic twins have a greater concordance for both completed suicide and attempted suicide than dizygotic twins. Adoption Studies also suggest that there is a,genetic component to suicide. Molecular genetic studies have focused mainly on the serotonin system. as diminished central serotonin is known to he associated with suicidal behavior. Polymorphisms of genes involved in various aspects of serotonergic neurotransmission have been examined in both postmortem brain studies of suicide victims and in clinical studies of individuals attempting suicide. Most interest has been on the tryptophan hydroxylase. serotonin transporter and serotonin 2A receptor genes. Overall the evidence strongly suggests that there may be a genetic contribution to suicidal behavior. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.