Identifying the Relationship between Microglia and Suicide:

Abstract

Suicide is one of the worst outcomes that can occur in clinical psychiatry. This issue affects 700,000 people globally every year. While currently no cure exists to stop suicide completely, recent research has led to new discoveries in the field which has improved the knowledge and awareness regarding the issue. Recent findings have shown an increase in microglia activation (innate immune cells) in the brains of suicide victims. This research paper seeks to quantify this trend by analyzing microglial densities in the white matter and dorsal raphe nucleus regions of the brain using post-morterm human brains from suicide victims and controls. This paper seeks to answer the question if microglial densities in the white matter and dorsal raphe nucleus regions of the brain are increased in suicide victims. This papers purpose is to help create a wider understanding on the role of microglial densities in suicide victims.