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IASP Task Force - The Genetics and Neurobiology of Suicide

Chair

Dr. Dan Rujescu (Germany)

Email

Suicidal behavior is a major health problem causing more than 1 million deaths worldwide each year. The risk of suicide-related behavior is supposed to be determined by a complex interplay of sociocultural factors, psychiatric history, personality traits, and genetic as well as neurobiological vulnerability.

This view is supported by adoption and family studies indicating that suicidal acts have a genetic contribution that is independent of the heritability of Axis I and II psychopathology. The heritability for serious suicide attempts was estimated to be 55%. Further understanding of the genetics and pathophysiology of suicidal behavior is therefore very important.

This Task Force will has as major goals to promote studies of genetic aspects of suicide ideation and behaviour among suicidologists on one side, and to promote genetic studies of suicide ideation and behaviour among behavioural geneticists on the other; thus forming an independent discipline of genetic suicidology.

This Task Force will provide a place where scientists interested in genetics of suicidal behavior can easily get in contact with each other, can cooperate and stimulate the whole field with new studies and results.

List of Members (Password required)

Past Meetings:

Workshop of the Task Force on Genetics and Neurobiology
(XXV IASP, 29 October 2009, Montevideo, Uruguay)

Chair: Dan Rujescu

Gustavo Turecki Canada: Overview on genetics of suicidal behavior.
Yogesh Dwivedi USA: Overview on postmortem studies.
Teodor Postolache USA: Overview on immunology in suicidal behavior.

Task Forces Meeting of the Task Force on Genetics and Neurobiology of Suicide
(XXV IASP, 29 October 2009, Montevideo, Uruguay)

Up-coming Meetings:

Symposia of the IASP Task Force Genetics and Neurobiology: Part 1: Genetics

(13th ESSSB, September 2010, Rome, Italy)

Chair: Dan Rujescu, Germany
Co-Chair: Marco Sarchiapone, Italy

  1. Martin Voracek, Austria
    Family studies of suicide - Systematic review, meta-analysis and field synopsis
  2. Gil Zalsman, Israel
    Gene by environment by timing by gender interaction in adolescent suicide
  3. Vincenzo De Luca, Canada
    Analysis of TH gene in schizophrenia and suicidal behavior
  4. John J. Mann, USA
    Epigenetic Effects on the Neurobiology of Suicidal Behavior

Symposia of the IASP Task Force Genetics and Neurobiology: Part 2: Neurobiology

(13th ESSSB, September 2010, Rome, Italy)

Chair: Kees van Heeringen, Belgium
Co-Chair: Thomas Bronisch, Germany

  1. Yogesh Dwivedi, USA
    BDNF Gene Regulation: Role in Suicide
  2. Thomas Bronisch, Germany
    Suicidal behavior as stress reaction: neurobiology and epigenetics
  3. Teo Postolache, USA
    Immunology: Allergy, Toxoplasma and Suicidality
  4. Pilar A. Saiz, Spain
    Endophenotypes of suicidal behaviour: Focus on impulsivity