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Attempted and completed suicides after subthalamic nucleus stimulation for Parkinson's disease.

Soulas T, Gurruchaga JM, Palfi S, Cesaro P, Nguyen JP, Fénelon G

Department of Neurosurgery, AP-HP, CHU Henri Mondor, Créteil, France.

A higher than expected frequency of suicide has been reported among patients undergoing subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN DBS) for advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). We conducted a retrospective survey of 200 patients with PD who underwent STN DBS. Two patients (1%) committed suicide and four (2%) attempted suicide, despite clear motor improvements. Suicidal patients did not differ from non-suicidal patients with respect to age, disease duration or preoperative depressive and cognitive status. Suicidal behaviour was associated with postoperative depression and/or altered impulse regulation. Suicidal behaviour is a potential hazard of STN DBS, calling for careful preoperative assessment and close postoperative psychiatric and behavioural follow-up.

Published 22 July 2008 in J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 79(8): 952-4.
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