The brains of people who commit suicide…reduce the activity of genes that control inflammation and help maintain brain cell health.
Entered 2023.11.16 14:20 Views 7 Entered 2023.11.16 14:20 Modified 2023.11.16 12:41 Views 7
The brains of people who died by suicide had reduced activity of the NPAS4 gene, which helps regulate inflammation and maintain brain cell health. This decrease in activity causes inflammation. [사진= 게티이미지뱅크]Analysis of the brains of people who died by suicide showed increased brain inflammation and reduced activity of brain protective mechanisms.
The research team, which included Dr. Lena Brundin of the Van Andel Institute, Dr. John Mann of the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University, and Dr. Eric Aktis of the Homer Stryker School of Medicine at Western Michigan University, compared the brains of 29 people who died by suicide with the brains of 32 people who died of other causes. The results were recently published in the academic journal Molecular Psychiatry.
Most people who died by suicide in this study were not taking antidepressants and antipsychotic medications, allowing the researchers to see more clearly molecular changes associated with suicide that might otherwise be obscured.
“The goal of our research is to prevent suicide by better understanding the brain functions involved in suicide,” the researchers said. “The reason we focused on the brain is to understand the biological processes that influence mood, suicidal thoughts and intentions, and decision-making. “Because it exists in the brain.”
The study found that the brains of people who died by suicide had reduced activity of the NPAS4 gene, which helps regulate inflammation and maintain brain cell health. This decrease in activity causes inflammation. The number of oligodendrocytes, special cells that protect nerve fibers, also decreased. This suggests that nerve fibers may be vulnerable to damage caused by inflammation.
The study also thoroughly analyzed integrated gene methylation and transcriptome data extracted from the brains of people who died by suicide. Gene methylation is the process of switching genes ‘on’ or ‘off’ by annotating them with special chemical tags, and research has found methylation patterns that promote abnormal inflammation in the brains of people who died by suicide.
“Our study pinpoints several key changes in the brain that could one day be targeted for treatment with the goal of reducing risk and saving lives,” the researchers said.
Along with this study, researchers are looking for biomarkers (measurable substances) in the blood that correspond to suicide risk. The goal is to help clinicians assess suicide risk using a validated blood test and design treatment strategies to reduce suicide risk by targeting inflammation.
Meanwhile, suicide was the sixth cause of death due to disease in Korea last year. According to data released by the OECD last year, Korea ranked first in terms of suicide rate per 100,000 people at 24.1. Suicide involves a complex combination of psychological, social, and biological factors. Accordingly, research to prevent suicide is continuing in the medical community.
2023-11-16 05:20:39
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