An international study is showing how the key brain networks are behind the thought or attempt of suicide on some individuals. The study comes after the sad conclusion that not much research is available about this important topic that is killing millions of people year by year.
The statistics are showing that more than 800.000 people are dying by suicide and not natural causes or accidents, year by year. The interval of the age of suicide is between 15 and 29 years old, and it is the second cause of death.
When we see the data about suicide, we find out that many adolescents are dying from suicide than from heart disease, AIDS, cancer, stroke, pneumonia, or other causes. The problem is posed as follows by the researchers – we have a condition that we know nothing, and more than one million young people are dying. The question is, why some individuals are more vulnerable to suicide? Why is there a difference between sexes, and what is happening inside their brains?
Brain Networks Behind the Suicidal Behavior Revealed
However, more than two decades of scientific data of brain studies were studied from about 12.000 persons. They have analyzed the results, the structure of each scan, the function, and the molecular alternations. In this way, a result had appeared. Two brain networks are having a crucial role behind the suicide, and also the connections between the two.
The brain networks are working in this way – one of the systems is representing the prefrontal cortex. Network one connects with emotions. If something changes in the network, negative thoughts appear, which in time could lead to suicide. On the other hand, the second network is related to the dorsal prefrontal cortex and the inferior frontal gyrus system.
This part is the one that takes decisions, finds solutions to problems, and it is the one that controls our behavior. So the thought of suicide could be decided if some changes are happening in the second network. To sum up, having networks altered, the structure and biochemistry are modified, so the negative thoughts can’t be controlled anymore, which is finally leading to suicide. The study can be the first step to find a way of preventing or finding a way to reduce this dangerous risk of death.