DNA RISK FACTORS IN YOUTH SUICIDE

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Suicide is the second leading cause of death in American youth between the ages of 15 and 19, and is now the leading cause of death for 15-19-year-old males in Utah. While the factors contributing to suicide are complex and multidimensional, recent studies have supported a role for genetically transmitted psychiatric risk factors. The absolute risk for suicide increases with age, and the investigators propose that youth suicide might represent a subgroup of patients with a much greater genetic influence. Post-mortem studies of brains of individuals who have committed suicide have found decreased levels of the neurotransmitter chemical called serotonin (also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT). Genes in the serotonin pathway are attractive candidates for inheritable susceptibility to suicide. This study utilizes the GCRC DNA preparative core laboratory to prepare DNA from tissue supplied by the Medical Examiner's Office so that candidate genes can be screened for mutations.