Researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine have identified biomarkers in women that can predict with 82 percent accuracy who is more likely to have suicidal thoughts.
The study compared app-based questionnaire answers of more than 50 women with psychiatric diagnoses combined with blood-based biomarker tests to get the results.
Dr. Alexander Niculescu says, historically, women have been understudied when it comes to suicide risk and biology.
“We know clinically that compared to men, while they have a lower rate of completion due to the less violent means used, they have more frequent and distressing suicidal ideation,” he says.
Last year, Niculescu and his team conducted similar research focusing on men. The new results found significant biomarker differences in women that highlight the importance of gender specific diagnosis and treatment.
“It provides insights into how one can tailor diagnosis and treatment, preventative treatment, for women who are at risk of suicide,” he says.
The researchers want to expand their work and study more at-risk women as part of a larger effort to use genetics and biomarkers in research studies.