Genes Linked to Suicidal Thinking During Antidepressant Treatment – September 27, 2007

Specific variations in two genes are linked to suicidal thinking
that sometimes occurs in people taking the most commonly prescribed
class of antidepressants, according to a large study led by scientists
at the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute
of Mental Health (NIMH). Depending on the particular mix inherited,
these versions increased the likelihood of such thoughts from 2-
to15-fold, the study found. About 1 percent of adult patients were
deemed to be at high genetic risk, 41 percent at elevated risk
and 58 percent at lower risk.