Study Finds a Genetic Key That Leads to Self-Killing, Depression

A team of Canadian researchers claim to have discovered an underlying cause that stimulates some people to commit suicide and triggers major depressiondefine, a breakthrough that can help experts find treatment for mental disorders.

The recent study led by University of Western Ontario and Carleton University scientists has discovered a possible genetic link, or a genetic key to suicide and major depressiondefine.
The scientist, led by Michael Poulter of the Robarts Research Institute at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ont. and Hymie Anisman of Carleton's Neuroscience Research Institute at Carleton University in Ottawa, discovered proteins that chemically modify DNA directly.

Poulter/Anisman and colleagues reached their findings after examining the brains of people who committed suicide, and compared them to the brains of people who died from natural causes, or died suddenly from heart attacks or other well-known causes.

After the analysis, the researchers found the proteins were more prevalent in the brains of people who committed suicide. According to them, a chemical that can modify DNA in brain cells was 10 times higher in people who had intentionally killed themselves.

"We have about 40,000 genesdefine in every cell and the main reason a brain cell is a brain cell is because only a small fraction of the genes are turned on. The remaining genes that are not expressed are shut down by an epigenetic process called DNA methylation," said Dr. Poulter.

The methylation process was much greater in the suicide brains than that of the control group, Poulter said.

In addition, the study also found that a gene which plays a major role in regulating brain activity was heavily chemically modified and its expression was reduced. "Interestingly, the nature of this chemical modification is long term and hard to reverse, and this fits with depression," Poulter explained.

A state of intense sadness, depression is a devastating illness that affects every aspect of a human’s life – physical, mental and emotional. It influences the sufferer’s self-esteem and perception of others, and a person with depression has difficulty in performing ordinary daily activities.

Calling the findings “revolutionary”, the scientists hope they will lead to major breakthroughs in treatment of mental disorders like depression and suicidal behaviour.