P2RX7 may be linked to severe suicidal thoughts and recovery, but researchers still need to confirm the pattern in living people.

Severe suicidal thoughts may leave a detectable biological signal in the brain, and that signal could also change when people recover. Researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience have identified a receptor that may be linked to these shifts, providing a possible new direction for studying resilience and suicide prevention.

In the Netherlands, nearly five people die by suicide each day, and there may be about twenty suicide attempts for every death. Despite the enormous consequences for individuals and families, scientists still understand relatively little about the biological processes associated with suicidal thoughts. Effective medications specifically targeting suicidal thoughts are also urgently needed.