Can you predict the risk of suicide? Scientists discover biomarkers that can reveal warning signs – Life News

A team of researchers discovers biological clues that could revolutionize the field suicide prevention. A team led by medical geneticist prof. Laima Ambrozaitytė, doctoral student of psychiatrist Robertas Strumila and prof. Algirdasa Utkusa studies blood biomarkers that can act as early warning signals, enabling early intervention and personalized mental health care. The researchers are associated with the University of Vilnius.

“Even though the suicide rate in Lithuania has almost halved over the last 13 years, it remains one of the highest in Europe. VU researchers working with local hospitals aim to identify biomarkers associated with single and multiple suicide attempts. As of 2020, the study has focused on three groups: people who have attempted suicide, people who are depressed but have not attempted suicide, and a control group,” the university said in a statement.

“It’s a very complex neurobiopsychological model,” Strumila explained, speaking remotely from France. “We analyze medical history and symptoms, using blood samples as an additional tool to assess the risk of suicidal behavior.” Preliminary results highlight key differences between the groups, revealing that although depression and suicide are related, they are not biologically identical processes.

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One of the study’s breakthrough findings involves phosphatidylethanol (PEth), a biomarker of chronic alcohol use. Elevated PEth levels were observed in people who had recently attempted suicide, but not in depressed people or controls.

“This biomarker shows that chronic alcohol consumption quadruples the risk of suicide attempts,” Strumila said. “By testing PEth, doctors could provide patients with targeted warnings about the risks of drinking too much.”

Interestingly, the study found discrepancies between self-reported alcohol consumption and biomarker data among people attempting suicide, showing that many are under-reporting their alcohol consumption.

The researchers also compared blood samples from Lithuania and South Korea, two countries with high suicide rates. The researchers’ goal is to discover differences in methylation profiles – an epigenetic process that influences gene expression.

“The analysis is still ongoing, but may reveal unique patterns that will improve our understanding of suicide risk,” said Prof. Ambrozaitytė. “Even the absence of significant differences would provide valuable insights.”

According to the researchers, the findings highlight the potential of personalized medicine in the treatment of mental illness health care. Biomarkers such as PEth and ACTH, a hormone associated with stress regulation, offer promising options for tailored treatment.

“Our ultimate goal is to further reduce suicide rates based on Lithuania’s progress in awareness campaigns and vocational training,” Strumila said. “This study has the potential to contribute to global suicide prevention efforts.” The study was recently published in the journal ScienceDirect.