Secret of suicide decoded

Toronto, Aug 3: Canadian researchers claim to have found a clue as to why people commit suicide or go into deep depression. In a ground-breaking study, they found elevated levels of a particular protein in the brains of those who committed suicide.

An international research group, led by Michael Poulter at the University of Western Ontario and Hymie Anisman of Carleton University, found that the elevated levels of protein affected a particular gene that controls stress and anxiety. During autopsies, they found higher levels of that particular protein — affecting genes that control stress and anxiety — in the brains of those who committed suicide, compared to those who died of other causes. They said these proteins caused chemical modification of the particular gene in a process called epigenomic regulation.

This modification resulted in the shutting down or malfunctioning of that anxiety-controlling gene, impairing the individual’s ability to handle stress and commit suicide. Researchers said this particular gene plays a major role in regulating brain activity.

"The nature of this chemical modification is long term and hard to reverse, and this fits with depression,’’ said Mr Poulter. —IANS

***

call for separation in Anglican Church

London, Aug. 3: Senior Anglican bishops have called for a negotiated and an "orderly separation" in the communion to preserve the traditional identity of orthodox Christianity, a move liberals warned could lead to civil war among the followers. Senior church of England bishops demanded that the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, declare a split in the Anglican Communion for the sake of orthodox Christianity. Rt. Rev. Michael Scott-Joynt, the Bishop of Winchester, said that the Archbishops plan to maintain unity was unlikely to work.

"We need to negotiate a separation in the Communion sooner rather than later, to leave the strongest possibility of remaining in some kind of fellowship," Bishop Scott-Joynt was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph newspaper on Sunday.

His fears were echoed by the Rt. Rev. Michael Langrish, the Bishop of Exeter, who accused Americas Episcopal Church, which consecrated Anglicanisms first openly gay bishop, of being selfish and establishing a rival Church, the report said. —PTI