Elicitation of the Association of Gene Polymorphisms and Serum Biomarkers as Risk Factors for Suicide Behavior in the South Indian Population

Abstract

Suicide is a significant public health issue and is a major cause of death in all ages worldwide Over the last few year it has been observed that the southern states of Tamil Nadu Kerala and Andhra Pradesh have consistently higher rates of suicides Etiologically suicide is a neurobiological disorder associated with derangements in neurochemical neuro endocrine and neuro immunological functions Involvement of genetic factors in suicidal behaviour is supported by family twin and adoption studies Associations between serotonin system dysfunction in suicidal behavior indicate that genes related to the serotonergic system are likely candidate genes The present study was aimed to assess the role of the genetic polymorphism and serum biomarkers in the serotonin neurotransmitter system in suicide A case control study was thus undertaken with the cases including those who attempted or died of suicide and control including those who never attempted suicide Subsequent to psychiatric screening those who did not have major psychiatric disorder were included Our results revealed that the 4 of the 8 SNPs studied had an association with suicide with the HTTLPR being more in cases while the SNPs of SLC6A4 intron HTR2A HTR5A and TPH2 genotypes being more in the controls indicating an inverse association The serum biomarkers were reduced in the cases than in the controls Socio demographic factors were not directly associated as risk factors for suicide in this study Thus the study concludes that there is an association between polymorphisms in the serotonin neurotransmitter system and suicide newline