Scientists Identify Killing Gene

In a latest medical research, Scientists have identified a gene ,which according to them, is responsible for suicidal attacks amongst depressed people. After carrying out genetic tests on 412 majorly depressed Caucasians, Dr Mann found out that ,a variant of the gene RGS2  was more common in people who had made attempts on suicide.

 Researchers explain that, the gene affects how strongly receptors in the body respond to chemicals released by nerve cells.Mann showed that 43% of the depressed patients who had attempted suicide had two copies of a particular variant of the RGS2 gene, while fewer than a fifth of them had two copies of a "safer" variant of the gene. The doctor claims that still more experiments need be performed to confirm the results.

"It will be a panel of genes that will contribute to this, and if we can identify those genes, that panel could be used as a screening tool to predict the risk of suicidal behaviour in depressed patients....People with depression account for most suicides, but most people with depression never make a suicide attempt. There is a vulnerability for suicidal behaviour in some individuals and it is uncovered by the development of depression....You'll see some families with lots of depression in each generation but not a single suicide. And other families with quite a few suicides. It's heritable independent of depression.", said Dr Mann.

The research was published in Society for Neuroscience meeting in Washing. Out of 412 people tested , 154 were those who had attempted suicide.