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Monday, November 7, 2016

PARKINSON'S DISEASE DOUBLES THE RISK OF SUICIDE

5th November 2016 - New research





Parkinson's Disease has been found to double the risk of suicide. Those factors in people with Parkinson's Disease most associated with suicide are : being male, initial extremity of motor symptom onset, history of depression, delusion, any psychiatric disorder, and higher L-dopa dosage. Other Parkinson's Disease related variables such as Parkinson's Disease symptom score (UPDRS motor score) were not significantly associated with suicide. Dopamine normally stimulates the mesocortical pathway in the brain, which is associated with emotional stimulation. Consequently, insufficient dopamine, which is what occurs in Parkinson's Disease, is associated with emotional depression. 

http://www.viartis.net/parkinsons.disease/news.htm

**Reference : Parkinsonism and Related Disorders [2016] 32 : 102-107 (T.Lee, H.B.Lee, M.H.Ahn, J.Kim, M.S.Kim, S.J.Chung, J.P.Hong)


Increased suicide risk and clinical correlates of suicide among patients with Parkinson's disease.


**Abstract:

INTRODUCTION: 

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a debilitating, neurodegenerative condition frequently complicated by psychiatric symptoms. Patients with PD may be at higher risk for suicide than the general population, but previous estimates are limited and conflicting. The aim of this study is to estimate the suicide rate based on the clinical case registry and to identify risk factors for suicide among patients diagnosed with PD.

METHODS: 

The target sample consisted of 4362 patients diagnosed with PD who were evaluated at a general hospital in Seoul, South Korea, from 1996 to 2012. The standardized mortality ratio for suicide among PD patients was estimated. In order to identify the clinical correlates of suicide, case-control study was conducted based on retrospective chart review. The 29 suicide cases (age: 62.3 ± 13.7 years; females: 34.5%) were matched with 116 non-suicide controls (age: 63.5 ± 9.2 years; females 56.9%) by the year of initial PD evaluation.

RESULTS: 

The SMR for suicide in PD patients was 1.99 (95% CI 1.33-2.85). Mean duration from time of initial diagnosis to suicide among cases was 6.1 ± 3.5 years. Case-control analysis revealed that male, initial extremity of motor symptom onset, history of depressive disorder, delusion, any psychiatric disorder, and higher L-dopa dosage were significantly associated with suicide among PD patients. Other PD-related variables such as UPDRS motor score were not significantly associated with death by suicide.

CONCLUSION: 

Suicide risk in PD patients is approximately 2 times higher than that in the general population. Psychiatric disorders, and also L-dopa medication need further attention with respect to suicide.

KEYWORDS: 

Parkinson's disease; Psychiatric disorder; Risk factors; Suicide

PMID:
 
27637284
 
DOI:
 
10.1016/j.parkreldis.2016.09.006

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27637284

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