Back to Search Start Over

Exploring the genetic overlap of suicide-related behaviors and substance use disorders

Authors :
Andrey A. Shabalin
Anna R. Docherty
Alexander S. Hatoum
Arpana Agrawal
Sarah M. C. Colbert
Elliot C. Nelson
Emma C. Johnson
Hilary Coon
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 2021.

Abstract

BackgroundSuicide-related behaviors are heterogeneous and transdiagnostic, and may demonstrate varying levels of genetic overlap with different substance use disorders (SUDs).MethodsWe used linkage disequilibrium score regression, genomic structural equation models, and Mendelian Randomization to examine the genetic relationships between several SUDs and suicide-related behaviors. Our analyses incorporated summary statistics from the largest genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of problematic alcohol use (PAU), the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), cannabis use disorder (CUD), and opioid use disorder (OUD; Ns ranging from 46,213-435,563) and GWAS of ever self-harmed, suicide attempt, and suicide death (Ns ranging from 18,223-117,733). We also accounted for genetic liability to depression (N=500,199) and risk tolerance (N=315,894).ResultsSuicide-related behaviors were significantly genetically correlated with each other and each SUD, but there was little evidence of causal relationships between the traits. Simultaneously correlating a common SUD factor with each specific suicide indicator while controlling for depression and risk tolerance revealed significant, positive genetic correlations between the SUD factor and suicide-related behaviors (rg = 0.26-0.45, se=0.08-0.09). In the model, depression’s association with suicide death (β = 0.42, se = 0.06) was weaker compared to ever-self harmed and suicide attempt (β = 0.58, se=0.05 and β = 0.50, se=0.06, respectively).DiscussionWe identify a general level of genetic overlap between SUDs and suicide-related behaviors which is independent of depression and risk tolerance. Additionally, our findings suggest that genetic and behavioral contributions to suicide death may somewhat differ from non-lethal suicide-related behaviors.

Details

Database :
OpenAIRE
Accession number :
edsair.doi...........e13c829674ad62ea388c29a39f0009f7
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.04.05.21254944