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Born to Die

© Jennifer Miller

In the not so distant future, we will be able to map each and every chromosone in the human body. Your genetic material may be written up before you are even born; a map of DNA, charted in your medical records. Advances in genetics paint a picture that is highly controversial. For example, what would you do if someone told you that you had the suicide gene? What kind of impact would it have on your life? Would you go on living like you had been in the past? Or would you be constantly shadowed by the knowledge that you might be pre-destined to kill yourself?

Suicide is the world's ninth leading cause of death, and in the United States, it is the leading cause of death among 15-19 year olds, next to car accidents. It would be wonderful if we could prevent such tragedies as suicide, and some scientists claim the way to do that is through the "suicide gene".

A startling report tells of the discovery of this so-called suicide gene. Scientists from the Royal Ottowa Hospital have found a link between a gene mutation and suicide. The report first came out in January, and was published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics in February. The study estimated that the mutation more than doubles the risk of suicidal behavior in those who have it.

This discovery may lead to a suicide test that would identify people at risk of suicide. But do you really want to know that you possess the suicide gene? Or any gene that points to a higher risk of mental illness? It's a difficult choice.

Take for instance, someone who has never suffered from depression, or any other mental illness in their life. A genetic panel shows they have the suicide gene. Suddenly, this person is wondering when they should off themselves, since it all seems inevitable anyway. Telling a happy, "normal" person they have the suicide gene can actually do more harm than good.

Even the study itself is faulty. It looked at patients who suffered from major depression. That's it. No one else, just people who were currently suffering from a disorder that may already be altering their chemical levels. The study does not examine people who have never been known to have any mental illness. However, the researchers claim that the mutation can be responsible for elevated risk of suicide among depressives and schizophrenics. It has been determined that mental illness runs in families, and scientists have long looked for a biological explanation.

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