Washington, July 30 (IANS) A simple blood test can soon reliably predict a person’s risk of attempting suicide, significant research reveals.

This may be possible because researchers at Johns Hopkins University have discovered a chemical alteration in a single human gene linked to stress reactions.

The changes in this gene – involved in the function of the brain’s response to stress hormones – plays a significant role in the reaction to the daily strain into suicidal thoughts and behaviours.