A blood test can identify people with high risk of suicide

New research scientists from Binghamton University suggests that experts in the field of health can assess the risk of suicide among patients after a simple blood test.

According to the findings, people who have lower levels of a specific protein in the blood, are more likely to try to commit suicide. Experts hope that the results obtained can lead to the introduction into medical practice of blood analysis that will determine the risk of suicide. It should be noted that the current test is based on past attempts of suicide and is very unreliable.

The researchers analyzed more than 70 people who donated the blood samples and test for a mental health assessment. The researchers focused on the levels of a specific protein known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor brain (BDNF), which had previously been associated with altered brain activity, that increase the risk of depression and suicide. The results showed that the protein levels of BDNF were lower in those people who tried to commit suicide in the past, no matter how long was this attempt.

“Testing for the detection of BDNF protein level may be included in a standard blood test. Similarly, as the level of cholesterol helps to determine the risk of developing heart disease, the analysis on the protein level can become a kind of test for mental health, helping to determine the risk of suicide, says Professor Brandon Gibb. – BDNF is not just a marker of current risk of suicide or mood of a person, it is a stable marker that can predict the risk of future suicide attempts”.

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