Johns Hopkins researchers say they have discovered a chemical alteration in a single human gene linked to stress reactions that, if confirmed in larger studies, could give doctors a simple blood test to reliably predict a person's risk of attempting suicide.
Identification and Replication of a Combined Epigenetic and Genetic Biomarker Predicting Suicide and Suicidal Behaviors – The American Journal of Psychiatry.
Would this have helped Karen? When would such test be done? What happens when the results are positive? What happens when the results are a false positive? What happens when the results are negative and there is a suicide? Paper is behind a paywall so a trip to the library is required to get those answers, if they are answered in the paper.
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