The researchers found a mutation in the gene encoding for the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor, a protein that transmits brain signals, which they say more than doubles the risk of suicidal behaviour in those who carry it. However, the researchers say it's possible the mutation may also be linked to the elevated risk of suicide among schizophrenics. People have long believed that mental illness and suicide are inherited. When model-actress Margaux Hemingway committed suicide in 1996, it gained attention not only because she was a celebrity and the granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway, but because it marked four generations of suicide in the famous American family. A diagnostic test for this trait would identify people in need of medical help, including gene therapy.
Suicide is the world's ninth leading cause of death.