TY - JOUR
T1 - Genomic Studies of Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Latin American Populations
T2 - A Systematic Review
AU - Suicide Working Group from the Latin America Genomics Consortium
AU - Cabrera-Mendoza, Brenda
AU - Panzenhagen, Alana Castro
AU - de Anda-Jáuregui, Guillermo
AU - He, Jun
AU - Magalhaes, Pedro V S
AU - Martínez-Magaña, Jose Jaime
AU - Martínez-Levy, Gabriela Ariadna
AU - Qiu, Dan
AU - Sotelo, Diana
AU - Torres, Dante
AU - Medrano, Javier Vargas
AU - Vidal, Guadalupe
AU - Velásquez, María M
AU - Nicolini, Humberto
AU - Polimanti, Renato
AU - Kaster, Manuela P
AU - Docherty, Anna R
AU - Kimbrel, Nathan A
AU - Genis-Mendoza, Alma Delia
AU - Ito, Lucas Toshio
AU - Shansis, Flávio Milman
AU - Rovaris, Diego Luiz
AU - Folego-Temoteo, Isabella
AU - Fries, Gabriel R
N1 - Copyright © 2026. Published by Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2026/1/13
Y1 - 2026/1/13
N2 - BACKGROUND: Suicide is a leading cause of death globally, with disproportionately rising rates in Latin America. Despite increasing global interest in the biology of suicidal behavior, Latin American and Hispanic/Latinx populations remain underrepresented in genomic research. This systematic review synthesized current evidence on genomic studies of suicidality in these populations.METHODS: We reviewed molecular studies of suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, nonsuicidal self-injury, or suicide death among Latin American or Hispanic/Latinx participants (PROSPERO registration: CRD42023416616). Eligible studies examined family risk, genetic, epigenetic, or transcriptomic markers. Searches were conducted in PubMed, SciELO, REDALyC, and regional journals. Synthesis used a narrative approach and random-effects meta-analyses when feasible. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the Q-Genie tool. A co-authorship network analysis was performed to characterize collaboration patterns.RESULTS: Fifty-nine studies met inclusion criteria: three family, 50 genetic, six transcriptomic, and three epigenetic studies (categories not mutually exclusive). Candidate gene studies mainly examined serotonergic and stress-response pathways but yielded inconsistent results. Meta-analyses for TPH1 (rs1800532), HTR2A rs6313 (T102C), and 5-HTTLPR (rs25531) showed no significant associations. Recent genome-wide and polygenic score studies identified ancestry-specific loci, though small samples and limited functional annotation resources hindered follow-up. Transcriptomic and epigenetic studies implicated neurodevelopmental and immune-related processes. Collaboration networks were dominated by a single hub, with limited cross-group integration.CONCLUSIONS: Genomic research on suicidality in Latin America is growing but remains fragmented and underpowered. Increasing representative sampling, implementing ancestry-aware methods, and fostering collaborations are essential to advance research and inform prevention strategies in these populations.
AB - BACKGROUND: Suicide is a leading cause of death globally, with disproportionately rising rates in Latin America. Despite increasing global interest in the biology of suicidal behavior, Latin American and Hispanic/Latinx populations remain underrepresented in genomic research. This systematic review synthesized current evidence on genomic studies of suicidality in these populations.METHODS: We reviewed molecular studies of suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, nonsuicidal self-injury, or suicide death among Latin American or Hispanic/Latinx participants (PROSPERO registration: CRD42023416616). Eligible studies examined family risk, genetic, epigenetic, or transcriptomic markers. Searches were conducted in PubMed, SciELO, REDALyC, and regional journals. Synthesis used a narrative approach and random-effects meta-analyses when feasible. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the Q-Genie tool. A co-authorship network analysis was performed to characterize collaboration patterns.RESULTS: Fifty-nine studies met inclusion criteria: three family, 50 genetic, six transcriptomic, and three epigenetic studies (categories not mutually exclusive). Candidate gene studies mainly examined serotonergic and stress-response pathways but yielded inconsistent results. Meta-analyses for TPH1 (rs1800532), HTR2A rs6313 (T102C), and 5-HTTLPR (rs25531) showed no significant associations. Recent genome-wide and polygenic score studies identified ancestry-specific loci, though small samples and limited functional annotation resources hindered follow-up. Transcriptomic and epigenetic studies implicated neurodevelopmental and immune-related processes. Collaboration networks were dominated by a single hub, with limited cross-group integration.CONCLUSIONS: Genomic research on suicidality in Latin America is growing but remains fragmented and underpowered. Increasing representative sampling, implementing ancestry-aware methods, and fostering collaborations are essential to advance research and inform prevention strategies in these populations.
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/f3e16ffe-63dd-3940-bc20-9b76d2dcf80e/
U2 - 10.1016/j.biopsych.2025.12.009
DO - 10.1016/j.biopsych.2025.12.009
M3 - Review article
C2 - 41539590
SN - 0006-3223
JO - Biological Psychiatry
JF - Biological Psychiatry
ER -
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being