If you lose the will to live, you really are at risk of dying

HEALTHY people can die just by giving up on life, says a professor.

‘Psychogenic death’ can strike in cases of extreme trauma or misfortune, according to Dr John Leach of the University of Portsmouth.

The condition was highlighted in the 19 0s by US Army medical officers after soldiers died without any obvious cause during the Korean War.

It was nicknamed ‘give-up-itis’ when described in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Dr Leach said: ‘Psychogenic death is real. It isn’t suicide, it isn’t linked to depression, but the act of giving up on life and dying, usually within days, is a very real condition.’

He cites the case of a Soviet pris- oner who, after serving a ten-year sentence, was told the term had been prolonged indefinitely. He died the same day ‘for no visible reason’.

In the journal Medical Hypotheses, Dr Leach suggests this could stem from a change in part of the brain.

He said: ‘Severe trauma might trigger some people’s anterior cingulate circuit to malfunction. Motivation is essential for coping with life.’

He describes five stages leading to psychological decline, but believes that the process can be halted by physical activity, or an individual achieving some control over their life. Both can trigger the release of the feel-good chemical dopamine.

But some scientists doubt the condition’s existence and says that many examples are caused by prolonged respiratory problems, diarrhea, malnutrition and exposure to cold.

‘Stems from a change in brain’