<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Introduction. Suicide is a multidimensional problem. Observations of family history of suicide suggest the existence of a genetic vulnerability to suicidal behaviour. Aim. Starting with a historical perspective, the article reviews current knowledge of a genetic vulnerability to suicidal behaviour, distinct from the genetic vulnerability to psychiatric disorders, focused on clinical and population-based studies, and findings from recent molecular genetics association studies. Method. The review includes peer-reviewed research articles and review papers from the professional literature in English language, retrieved from PubMed/Medline and PsycINFO. Results. The research literature confirms a existence of a genetic vulnerability to suicidal behaviour. Even though the results of individual studies are difficult to compare, genetic influences could explain up to half of the variance of the occurrence of suicide. Conclusion. Genetic vulnerability could be a distal risk factor for suicide, which helps us to understand the occurrence of suicide among vulnerable people. Ethical implications of such vulnerability are highlighted.</abstract>

Introduction. Suicide is a multidimensional problem. Observations of family history of suicide suggest the existence of a genetic vulnerability to suicidal behaviour. Aim. Starting with a historical perspective, the article reviews current knowledge of a genetic vulnerability to suicidal behaviour, distinct from the genetic vulnerability to psychiatric disorders, focused on clinical and population-based studies, and findings from recent molecular genetics association studies. Method. The review includes peer-reviewed research articles and review papers from the professional literature in English language, retrieved from PubMed/Medline and PsycINFO. Results. The research literature confirms a existence of a genetic vulnerability to suicidal behaviour. Even though the results of individual studies are difficult to compare, genetic influences could explain up to half of the variance of the occurrence of suicide. Conclusion. Genetic vulnerability could be a distal risk factor for suicide, which helps us to understand the occurrence of suicide among vulnerable people. Ethical implications of such vulnerability are highlighted.

Genetic Vulnerability as a Distal Risk Factor for Suicidal Behaviour: Historical Perspective And Current Knowledge / Genetska Ranljivost Kot Oddaljen Dejavnik Tveganja Za Samomorilno Vedenje: Zgodovinski Vidik In Znanje Danes

University of New South Wales, School of Psychiatry, Black Dog Institute, Hospital Rd, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia

University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry, Vrazov trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Slovenian Journal of Public Health

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Introduction. Suicide is a multidimensional problem. Observations of family history of suicide suggest the existence of a genetic vulnerability to suicidal...

Genetic Vulnerability as a Distal Risk Factor for Suicidal Behaviour: Historical Perspective And Current Knowledge / Genetska Ranljivost Kot Oddaljen Dejavnik Tveganja Za Samomorilno Vedenje: Zgodovinski Vidik In Znanje Danes

Published Online: Jun 09, 2015

Page range: 238 - 251

Received: Sep 04, 2014

Accepted: Feb 17, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjph-2015-0026

Keywords
suicide, suicidal behaviour, genetics, vulnerability, families, probands, offsprings, review, ethical considerations

© National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Genetic Vulnerability as a Distal Risk Factor for Suicidal Behaviour: Historical Perspective And Current Knowledge / Genetska Ranljivost Kot Oddaljen Dejavnik Tveganja Za Samomorilno Vedenje: Zgodovinski Vidik In Znanje Danes

Published Online: Jun 09, 2015

Page range: 238 - 251

Received: Sep 04, 2014

Accepted: Feb 17, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjph-2015-0026

Keywordssuicide, suicidal behaviour, genetics, vulnerability, families, probands, offsprings, review, ethical considerations

© National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
suicide, suicidal behaviour, genetics, vulnerability, families, probands, offsprings, review, ethical considerations