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Harnessing advances in the genetics of suicidality to identify and dissect psychosocial pathways to risk

Award Number: R01MH129356
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/01/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 12/31/2026

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Harnessing advances in the genetics of suicidality to identify and dissect psychosocial pathways to risk - Project Summary Suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) are substantially impacted by genetic factors. However, molecular genetic studies of suicidality, and their genetically informative epidemiologic counterparts, have historically been statistically underpowered, precluding substantive interpretation of the effects of genetic influences in a developmental or psychosocial context. Recent advances include well-powered genomewide association studies alongside twin/family modeling of Swedish national registry data on (non-fatal) suicide attempt and death. The clear signals observed in these studies provide initial insight to the genetic etiology of suicidality, including: (i) suicide attempt and death are substantially, but not entirely, genetically correlated, raising the possibility that genetic liability underlying these distinct outcomes may be differentially related to risk pathways; (ii) the qualitative and quantitative nature of genetic liability to suicidality shifts across the life course; and (iii) genetic influences underlying suicidality are likely related to multiple behavioral correlates of risk, notably behavioral disinhibition and depression. Additional gene identification studies are essential to further elucidate the molecular nature of suicidality. However, to fully characterize how genetic liability manifests into STB, gene-finding studies must be complemented by research efforts that address the relationship between aggregate genetic risk and distinct STB outcomes, STB occurring during different periods of development (e.g., adolescence versus adulthood), key behavioral mediators, and environmental precipitants. The current proposal will address this critical knowledge gap through the incorporation of aggregate genetic risk scores for suicide attempt or death into models of psychosocial risk for STB. We will implement our research aims in a range of target samples selected for the unique perspectives they enable: (i) They span the life course, from childhood to late adulthood (and through death in the case of national Swedish registries); (ii) several include longitudinal assessments; (iii) they are densely phenotypically characterized, with data available on multiple STB (e.g., ideation, plans, attempts), behavioral mediators, and environmental risk factors; and (iv) they include five population-based studies, enabling us to expand our understanding of STB etiology outside of highly selected samples, along with two samples ascertained for history of major depression, enabling us to assess whether pathways of risk to STB are consistent across groups, and whether genetic liability to suicidality is superseded by the powerful clinical context of depression. The assembled team’s complementary areas of expertise are ideally suited to successfully implement the research aims. The proposed analyses leverage the aforementioned recent advances in the genetics of suicidality while enabling unparalleled and critical context for understanding the complex and dynamic pathways to suicidal thoughts and behaviors.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $547,690 )
2026	2026	VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY	910 WEST FRANKLIN ST	RICHMOND	VA	23284	RICHMOND CITY	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	5	3/5/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$547,690
														Subtotal = $547,690

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $465,537 )
2025	2025	VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY	910 WEST FRANKLIN ST	RICHMOND	VA	23284	RICHMOND CITY	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	4	4/14/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$465,537
														Subtotal = $465,537

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $547,690 )
2024	2024	VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY	910 WEST FRANKLIN ST	RICHMOND	VA	23284	RICHMOND CITY	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	001	3	7/5/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$54,770
2024	2024	VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY	910 WEST FRANKLIN ST	RICHMOND	VA	23284	RICHMOND CITY	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	3	12/15/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$492,920
														Subtotal = $547,690

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $550,764 )
2023	2023	VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY	910 WEST FRANKLIN ST	RICHMOND	VA	23284	RICHMOND CITY	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	2	1/6/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$495,686
2023	2023	VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY	910 WEST FRANKLIN ST	RICHMOND	VA	23284	RICHMOND CITY	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	001	2	2/23/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$55,078
														Subtotal = $550,764

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $580,941 )
2022	2022	VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY	912 W FRANKLIN ST	RICHMOND	VA	23284	RICHMOND CITY	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	001	1	6/27/2022	NEW	$55,332
2022	2022	VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY	912 W FRANKLIN ST	RICHMOND	VA	23284	RICHMOND CITY	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	1	2/28/2022	NEW	$525,609
														Subtotal = $580,941

Grand Total All Awards = $2,692,622

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Harnessing advances in the genetics of suicidality to identify and dissect psychosocial pathways to risk

Award Number: R01MH129356

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/01/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 12/31/2026

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