Abstract: Suicidal behavior remains one of the most pressing public health challenges worldwide, and understanding its biological roots is critical. In a large-scale study involving over 53,000 participants from the UK Biobank, researchers analyzed nearly 3,000 plasma proteins to uncover biological patterns linked to suicidal behaviors. They identified 421 proteins associated with past suicidal behaviors, and notably, 15 of these proteins were predictive of future risk. Most of these proteins were strongly connected to inflammatory pathways, particularly cytokine and tumor necrosis factor interactions, further strengthening the link between inflammation and mental health outcomes.
Beyond identifying protein markers, the study revealed three distinct protein networks related to inflammation and cell–cell adhesion processes. These biological patterns were also correlated with structural differences in key emotional brain regions such as the orbitofrontal cortex and insula. Importantly, advanced genetic analysis suggested that one protein, GGH, may play a causal role in suicidal behaviors and could mediate the influence of body mass index on risk. Using machine-learning models that combined protein and demographic data, researchers achieved moderate predictive accuracy (AUC = 0.79). Together, these findings open promising avenues for targeted therapies and biomarker-driven prevention strategies.
Read the full article here: https://scienmag.com/plasma-proteins-linked-to-suicidal-behaviors/
