驗血可預測自殺風險 準確率高達90%大綱

A blood test that can predict whether someone may attempt suicide has been developed by scientists in a breakthrough which could prevent hundreds of deaths.

據英國《每日電訊報》報道，研究人員取得科研突破，通過驗血來預測人們是否具有自殺傾向，從而防止衆多悲劇發生。

American researchers have found that variations in a single gene can be used to predict if someone is likely to take their own life.

美國研究人員發現，通過驗血可以檢查一種基因是否發生變異，從而預測某人是否企圖自殺。

Researchers at John Hopkins University, in Baltimore, Maryland, found that the gene SKA2 stopped functioning correctly in people at risk of suicide. The SKA2 gene is found in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, and is involved in preventing negative thoughts and controlling impulsive behaviour.

美國約翰•霍普金斯大學研究人員發現，存在自殺風險的人的SKA2基因功能異常。SKA2基因位於大腦前額皮質，負責控制體內壓力荷爾蒙皮質醇的含量，能夠防止人們產生消極情緒並控制其衝動行爲。

If there isn't enough SKA2, or it is altered in some way, the body cannot control levels of cortisol. Previous research has shown that people who attempt suicide or who take their own lives have large amounts of cortisol in their systems.

若體內SKA2基因含量不足，或以某種方式發生變化，人體將無法有效控制皮質醇含量。此前的研究發現，自殺或有自殺傾向的人體內皮質醇含量較高。

A test could allow doctors or psychologists to place patients on ‘suicide watch’ and restrict their access to drugs or equipment which they could use to end their own life.

因此，通過驗血檢測下SKA2的水平或者是否發生突變，能夠允許醫生對具有自殺傾向的人進行觀察，同時防止他們靠近藥品或其它自殺工具。

The research was reported in the American Journal of Psychology. "We need to study this in a larger sample but we believe that we might be able to monitor the blood to identify those at risk of suicide, " Kaminsky said.

該研究發表於《美國心理學雜誌》，主要負責人凱明斯基表示：“該研究還需加大樣本量，但我們相信，可以通過驗血辨認出那些具有自殺風險的人。”

"Suicide is a major preventable public health problem, but we have been stymied in our prevention efforts because we have no consistent way to predict those who are at increased risk of killing themselves, " says study leader Dr Zachary Kaminsky, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences.

精神病與行爲科學助理教授扎卡里•凱明斯基表示，自殺是我們目前面臨的主要公共健康問題，但由於缺乏直觀的途徑預測人們的自殺風險，導致我們無法及時預防。

"With a test like ours, we may be able to stem suicide rates by identifying those people and intervening early enough to head off a catastrophe."

“但通過我們的測試，我們可以及早確認並干預具有自殺傾向的人羣，從而降低社會自殺率。”

The blood test managed to predict those with the most severe risk of suicide with 90 per cent accuracy. They could also spot if someone had already attempted suicide with 96 per cent accuracy, simply by looking at the levels of SKA2.

據報道，通過驗血預測最嚴重的自殺風險精確度高達90%，同時，只要簡單觀測一下SKA2的水平，便能以96%的精確度判斷某人是否已企圖自殺。