Temporal effects on death by suicide: empirical evidence and possible molecular correlates.

ABSTRACT: Popular culture and medical lore have long postulated a connection between full moon and exacerbations of psychiatric disorders. We wanted to empirically analyze the hypothesis that suicides are increased during the period around full moons. We analyzed pre-COVID suicides from the Marion County Coroner's Office (n = 776), and show that deaths by suicide are significantly increased during the week of the full moon (p = 0.037), with older individuals (age ≥ 55) showing a stronger effect (p = 0.019). We also examined in our dataset which hour of the day (3-4 pm, p = 0.035), and which month of the year (September, p = 0.09) show the most deaths by suicide. We had blood samples on a subset of the subjects (n = 45), which enabled us to look at possible molecular mechanisms. We tested a list of t

SUBMITTER: Bhagar R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10501025 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature