The research looked at the brains of 12 people who committed suicide and were also abused and 12 suicide victims who were not abused.
In the abused group different markings were discovered on the brain that affected a stress-response function, which increases the risk of suicide.
Dr Meaney, a professor in the departments of psychiatry, neurology and neurosurgery at McGill University, which led the reasearch team, said: "The function of our DNA is not as fixed as previously believed.
"The interaction between the environment and DNA plays a crucial role in determining our resistance to stress and thus the risk for suicide."
The work adds to previous results from testing on rats that revealed maternal care plays a significant role in influencing the genes that control stress response.
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