Does the moon drive us crazy?

2023-12-14 08:30:23

Does the moon drive us crazy?

Chuck Dinerstein, ACSH*

Image by Nattawat Wasankanokphat de Pixabay

It is commonly believed that a full moon brings out crazy people and madness. Word “ lunatic » – derived from the combination of “ luna ”, or moon, and “ atic ”, which means “ of the kind of » – was first mentioned in a 4th century Bible^e century. A new study examines the influence of the moon and certain circadian genes on the incidence of suicide.

My grade : In English, ” lunatic » means “ fou », « demented “. In French, ” whose mood and character change abruptly and frequently “. For the etymology reported above, the author took into account the fact that for English speakers, the moon is “ moon »].

Could the moon influence our moods and behavior? After all, it influences our oceans. The researchers wanted to study the effect of time on suicides. For this, they used data from Marion County Coroner’s Office in Indiana, from January 2012 to December 2016. There were

• 210 suicides during full moon week;

• 566 suicides outside the week of the full moon;

• 208 individuals aged 30 and under, 232 individuals aged 55 and over;

• A subset of 45 cases had blood drawn, 38 men and 7 women who had committed violent suicide.

Let’s start with the question of the moon. Suicides during the full moon are statistically more numerous among those over 55, but not among those under 30. But the rush hour is between 3 and 4 p.m. In addition, September was the peak month for those over 55, and November for those under 30.

Researchers have identified 1,468 genes with circadian functions, or approximately 7% of our total genetic heritage. Eighteen of them were the main “ engines » circadian genes, while 331 other genes directly influenced the motors, with the remainder influencing the 331 intermediate genes. The researchers also identified 154 “ biomarker genes » associated with suicides. Comparing the two groups, suicide-related genes and circadian genes, they found that suicide genes with a circadian component were almost twice as numerous. Additionally, they found changes in the expression of genes associated with suicide at the time of death.

Suicide is a complex phenomenon that presents obvious psychological and, today, more clearly biological characteristics. Researchers have suggested a few possible reasons.

• The increase in suicides during the full moon might be because the moon’s light affects vulnerable people at a time when it should be dark. They argue that those under 30 are more likely to use their cell phones at night, which reduces their exposure to moonlight. Although it may be a ” bridge too far » for some of us, the circadian clock genes are “ enriched » during this interval.

• The peak in suicides at the end of the followingnoon may be linked to “ event day stressors ”, but this is when the expression of cortisol and several circadian clock genes is lowest. The researchers point out that these genes were predictive of their results.

• As for the September peak, which “ coincides with suicide prevention month », it corresponds to the end of summer, vacations and the start of the school and work year. It’s also the start of a change in daylight that portends seasonal affective disorder, an illness known to have a circadian component. For those under 30 whose suicides peak in November, we might speak of “ public holidays » .

The study leaves many questions unanswered, and the researchers’ presentation leaves me unsatisfied, even though I am more than willing to believe that our biology can and does play a role. It’s already clear that our circadian rhythms influence our mood and sleep. “ Enrichment of circadian clock genes and their putative involvement in death by suicide ” should make us think and raise questions regarding the interaction between our ” will » and our genetic expression. The researchers are undoubtedly right to say that this work opens “ the door to therapeutic interventions, whether chronobiological or pharmacological ».

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* Director of Medicine. Dr. Charles Dinerstein, MD, MBA, FACS, is the medical director of theAmerican Council on Science and Health. He has over 25 years of experience as a vascular surgeon.

Source : Does the Moon Make Us Mad? | American Council on Science and Health (acsh.org)

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