The Neuroscience of Suicidal BehaviorNearly one million people take their own lives each year world-wide - however, contrary to popular belief, suicide can be prevented. While suicide is commonly thought to be an understandable reaction to severe stress, it is actually an abnormal reaction to regular situations. Something more than unbearable stress is needed to explain suicide, and neuroscience shows what this is, how it is caused and how it can be treated. Professor Kees van Heeringen describes findings from neuroscientific research on suicide, using various approaches from population genetics to brain imaging. Compelling evidence is reviewed that shows how and why genetic characteristics or early traumatic experiences may lead to a specific predisposition that makes people vulnerable to triggering life events. Neuroscientific studies are yielding results that provide insight into how the risk of suicide may develop; ultimately demonstrating how suicide can be prevented. |
Contents
What Is Suicidal Behavior and Can It Be Prevented? | 1 |
The StressDiathesis Model | 23 |
Neuroscience Approaches | 40 |
The Molecular Neuroscience of Suicidal Behavior | 63 |
Systems Neuroscience and Suicide | 102 |
A Neurodevelopmental | 125 |
Neuroscience Contributions | 165 |
Neuroscience Aspects | 182 |
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Common terms and phrases
5-HT2A receptor activity adolescents adversity antidepressant association with suicidal attempted suicide BDNF beliefs Biological Psychiatry biomarkers bipolar brain changes Chapter characteristics cingulate clinical cognitive correlates cortical cortisol decreased depressed individuals diathesis DNA methylation effects emotional epigenetic findings functional genetic Health Heeringen history of suicidal hopelessness imaging increased risk inffuence interaction involved Jollant Journal of Psychiatry ketamine levels lithium major depressive maltreatment Mann markers mental pain meta-analysis model of suicidal molecular mood disorders negative neural neurobiological neuroimaging neurons neuropsychological Neuroscience neurotransmission NSSI Oquendo orbitofrontal cortex patients precision predict suicidal prefrontal cortex processes psychological autopsy receptor reduced Research response risk factors risk of suicide role self-harm self-injury serotonergic serotonin transporter social specific stimulation stress Stroop Stroop task studies of suicidal suicidal behavior suicidal ideation suicidal individuals suicidal thoughts suicide attempters suicide prevention suicide rates suicide risk thalamic treatment Turecki vulnerability to suicidal white matter