@article{ref1,
title="Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and suicide in schizophrenia: critical role of neuroprotective mechanisms as an emerging hypothesis",
journal="Indian journal of psychological medicine",
year="2016",
author="Shrivastava, Amresh and De Sousa, Avinash and Rao, G. Prasad",
volume="38",
number="6",
pages="499-504",
abstract="Suicide is a common occurrence in psychiatric disorders and is a cause of increased healthcare utilization worldwide. Schizophrenia is one of the most common psychiatric disorders worldwide and posited to be seen in 1% of the population worldwide. Suicide is a common occurrence in schizophrenia with 25%-30% patients with schizophrenia attempting suicide and 8%-10% completing it. There is a need for valid biological markers to help clinicians identify patients with schizophrenia that may be at a risk of suicide and thus help in them receiving better care and interventions at the earliest even before a suicide attempt occurring. There are clear neurobiological changes at a genetic, neuroimaging, and neurochemical level that occurs in patients with schizophrenia that attempt suicide. There is a new theory that postulates neuronal plasticity and neuroprotection to have a role in the biological changes that ensue when suicidal thoughts and feelings occur in patients with schizophrenia. Neurotrophic growth factors like brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) have been documented to play a role in the protection of neurons and in the prevention of neurobiological changes that may lead to suicide both in schizophrenia and depression. The present paper presents a commentary that looks at the role of BDNF as a protective factor and neurobiological marker for suicide in schizophrenia.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0253-7176",
doi="10.4103/0253-7176.194913",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/0253-7176.194913"
}