The rs6265 Polymorphism of the BDNF Gene Is Related to Higher-Lethality Suicide Attempts in the Korean Population
- Author:
Seung-Gul KANG
1
;
Jong Hun LEE
;
Kwanghun LEE
;
Hee-Cheol KIM
;
Wan Seok SEO
;
Seunghee WON
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:Psychiatry Investigation 2020;17(5):417-423
- CountryRepublic of Korea
-
Abstract:
Objective:Since the risk of suicide cannot be predicted by clinical symptoms alone, and suicide is known to have a genetic component, the discovery of genetic markers that can predict the lethality of suicide attempts is a clinically important topic. There have been many studies aiming to determine whether the rs6265 polymorphism of the BDNF gene is associated with suicidality; however, the results have been mixed, and there have been few studies investigating the relationship between this polymorphism and suicide attempt lethality.
Methods:We assessed suicide lethality in 258 individuals who had attempted suicide using the relative risk ratio (RRR) scale and by genotyping the rs6265 polymorphism of the BDNF gene.
Results:The RRR score for suicide attempts was higher in subjects with Met/Val and Val/Val genotypes than in that with a Met/Met genotype (p=0.015). The RRR score for suicide attempts was also higher in Val allele carriers (Met/Val+Val/Val) than in Met/Met homozygotes (p=0.006).
Conclusion:This study demonstrates the possibility that the rs6265 polymorphism of the BDNF gene could be used as a genetic marker to predict the lethality of suicide attempts, but more replication studies are needed for the application of this result in clinical practice.
