Suicidal Behavior in Schizophrenia: Diagnosis, Neurobiology, and Treatment Implications
[Curr Opin Psychiatry 16(2):193-197, 2003. © 2003 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins]
Papers of particular interest, published within the annual period of review, have been highlighted as:
*of special interest
**of outstanding interest
- Tandon R, Glick I, Jibson MD, et al. Treating schizophrenia: a primer 2002. New York: McMahon Publishing; 2001.
*This gives a comprehensive review of the application of the principles of evidence-based medicine to the pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia. - Babidge NC, Buhrich N, Butler T. Mortality among homeless people with schizophrenia in Sydney, Australia: a 10-year follow-up. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2001; 103:105-110.
- Ran M, Xiang M, Huang M, Shan Y. Natural course of schizophrenia: 2-year follow-up study in a rural Chinese community. Br J Psychiatry 2001; 178:154-158.
- Osby U, Correia N, Brandt L, et al. Mortality and causes of death in schizophrenia in Stockholm county, Sweden. Schizophr Res 2000; 45:21-28.
- Brown S, Inskip H, Barraclough B. Causes of the excess mortality of schizophrenia. Br J Psychiatry 2000; 177:212-217.
- Bralet MC, Yon V, Loas G, Noisette C. Cause of mortality in schizophrenic patients: prospective study of years of a cohort of 150 chronic schizophrenic patients. Encephale 2000; 26:32-41.
- Le Fevre PD. Improving the physical health of patients with schizophrenia: therapeutic nihilism or realism? Scott Med J 2001; 46:11-13.
- Nordentoft M, Jeppesen P, Abel M, et al. OPUS study: suicidal behavior, suicidal ideation and hopelessness among patients with first-episode psychosis. One-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. Br J Psychiatry 2002; 181 (Suppl 43): s98-s106.
- Ramsay L, Gray C, White T. A review of suicide within the State Hospital, Carstairs 1972-1996. Med Sci Law 2001; 41:97-101.
- Coman M, Meyer AD, Cameron PA. Jumping from the Westgate Bridge, Melbourne. Med J Aust 2000; 172:67-69.
- Martin BA. The Clarke Institute experience with completed suicide: 1966 to 1997. Can J Psychiatry 2000; 45:630-638.
- Deisenhammer EA, DeCol C, Honeder M, et al. In-patient suicide in psychiatric hospitals. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2000; 102:290-294.
- Ostroglazov VG, Lisina MA. Clinico-psychopathological characteristics of states in patients with suicidal attempts [in Russian]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2000; 100:18-20.
- Kreyenbuhl JA, Kelly DL, Conley RR. Circumstances of suicide among individuals with schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2002; 58:253-261.
- Bhatia MS, Aggarwal NK, Aggarwal BB. Psychosocial profile of suicide ideators, attempters and completers in India. Int J Soc Psychiatry 2000; 46:155-163.
- Funahashi T, Ibuki Y, Domon Y, et al. A clinical study on suicide among schizophrenics. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2000; 54:173-179.
- Beautrais AL. Suicides and serious suicide attempts: two populations or one? Psychol Med 2001; 31:837-845.
- Krupinski M, Fischer A, Grohmann R, et al. Schizophrenic psychoses and suicide in the clinic. Risk factors, psychopharmacologic treatment [in German]. Nervenarzt 2000; 71:906-911.
- Schwartz RC, Cohen BN. Psychosocial correlates of suicidal intent among patients with schizophrenia. Compr Psychiatry 2001; 42:118-123.
- De Hert M, McKenzie K, Peuskens J. Risk factors for suicide in young people suffering from schizophrenia: a long-term follow-up study. Schizophr Res 2001; 47:127-134.
*This is an excellent case-control study of suicide in schizophrenia. - Siris SG. Suicide and schizophrenia [review]. J Psychopharmacol 2001; 15:127-135.
*This provides a comprehensive review of the role of depression in relation to suicide in schizophrenia. - Goodwin R, Lyons JS, McNally RJ. Panic attacks in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2002; 58:213-220.
- Harkavy-Friedman JM, Restifo K, Malaspina D, et al. Suicidal behavior in schizophrenia: characteristics of individuals who had and had not attempted suicide. Am J Psychiatry 1999; 156:1276-1278.
- Goodwin R, Davidson L. Panic attacks in psychosis. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2002; 105:14-19.
- Grunebaum MF, Oquendo MA, Harkavy-Friedman JM, et al. Delusions and suicidality. Am J Psychiatry 2001; 158:742-747.
- Messias E, Kirkpatrick B, Ram R, Tien AY. Suspiciousness as a specific risk factor for major depressive episodes in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2001; 47:159-165.
- Birchwood M, Iqbal Z, Chadwick P, Trower P. Cognitive approach to depression and suicidal thinking in psychosis. 1. Ontogeny of post-psychotic depression. Br J Psychiatry 2000; 177:516-521.
- Tapp A, Kilzieh N, Wood AE, et al. Depression in patients with schizophrenia during an acute psychotic episode. Compr Psychiatry 2001; 42:314-318.
- Marengo J, Harrow M, Herbener ES, Sands J. A prospective longitudinal 10-year study of schizophrenia's three major factors and depression. Psychiatry Res 2000; 97:61-77.
- Muller MJ, Szegedi A, Wetzel H, Benkert O. Depressive factors and their relationships with other symptom domains in schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and psychotic depression. Schizophr Bull 2001; 27:19-28.
- Iqbal Z, Birchwood M, Chadwick P, Trower P. Cognitive approach to depression and suicidal thinking in psychosis. 2. Testing the validity of a social ranking model. Br J Psychiatry 2000; 177:522-528.
- Delahanty J, Ram R, Postrada L, et al. Differences in rates of depression in schizophrenia by race. Schizophr Bull 2001; 27:29-38.
- Siris SG. Depression in schizophrenia. Perspective in the era of "atypical" antipsychotic agents. Am J Psychiatry 2000; 157:1379-1389.
- Hausmann A, Fleischhacker WW. Differential diagnosis of depressed mood in patients with schizophrenia: a diagnostic algorithm based on a review. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2002; 106:83-96.
*This presents a systematic approach to the assessment and treatment of depression in schizophrenia. - Kamali M, Kelly L, Gervin M, et al. The prevalence of comorbid substance misuse and its influence on suicidal ideation among in-patients with schizophrenia. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2000; 101:452-456.
- Gut-Fayand A, Dervaux A, Olie JP, et al. Substance abuse and suicidality in schizophrenia: a common risk factor linked to impulsivity. Psychiatry Res 2001; 102:65-72.
*This is a study of the relationship of substance abuse and impulsivity with suicide in schizophrenia. - Schwartz RC. Insight and suicidality in schizophrenia: a replication study. J Nerv Ment Dis 2000; 188:235-237.
- Schwartz RC. Self-awareness in schizophrenia: its relationship to depressive symptomatology and broad psychiatric impairments. J Nerv Ment Dis 2001; 189:401-403.
- Atbasoglu EC, Schultz SK, Andreasen NC. The relationship of akathisia with suicidality and depersonalization among patients with schizophrenia. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 2001; 13:336-341.
*This is a study of the role of akathisia in suicidality in schizophrenia. - Hansen L, Wilkinson DG. Drug-induced akathisia, suicidal ideation and its treatment in the elderly. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2001; 16:231-233.
- Caberlotto L, Hurd YL. Neuropeptide Y Y(1) and Y(2) receptor mRNA expression in the prefrontal cortex of psychiatric subjects. Relationship of Y(2) subtype to suicidal behavior. Neuropsychopharmacology 2001; 25:91-97.
*This is a post-mortem study of neuropeptide Y expression in the prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression. - Niswender CM, Herrick-Davis K, Dilley GE, et al. RNA editing of the human serotonin 5-HT2C receptor. Alterations in suicide and implications for serotonergic pharmacotherapy. Neuropsychopharmacology 2001; 24:478-491.
*This is a study of the relationship between the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2C receptor and suicide across psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. - Brunner J, Stalla GK, Stalla J, et al. Decreased corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid of eucortisolemic suicide attempters. J Psychiatr Res 2001; 35:1-9.
*This is a study of the relationship between multiple measures of the hypothalamo-pituitary axis and suicide across multiple psychiatric disorders. - Nolan KA, Volavka J, Czobor P, et al. Suicidal behavior in patients with schizophrenia is related to COMT polymorphism. Psychiatr Genet 2000; 10:117-124.
- Paik I, Toh K, Kim J, Lee C. TPH gene may be associated with suicidal behavior, but not with schizophrenia in the Korean population. Hum Hered 2000; 50:365-369.
- Bergquist J, Traskman-Bendz L, Lindstrom MB, Ekman R. Suicide-attempters having immunoglobulin G with affinity for dopamine in cerebrospinal fluid. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2002; 12:153-158.
- Filipovic B, Teofilovski-Parapid G, Stojicic M. Comparative post-mortem study of cavum septi pellucidi in alcoholics, schizophrenics and aggressive persons. Folia Morphol (Warsz) 2000; 58:297-305.
- Chong SA, Lee WL, Tan CH, et al. Attempted suicide and polymorphism of the serotonin transporter gene in Chinese patients with schizophrenia. Psychiatry Res 2000; 97:101-106.
- Tan EC, Chong SA, Chan AOM, Tan CH. No evidence for association of the T102C polymorphism in the serotonin 2A receptor with suicidal behavior in schizophrenia. Am J Med Genet 2002; 114:321-322.
- Huang T, Wu S. Serum cholesterol levels in paranoid and non-paranoid schizophrenia associated with physical violence or suicide attempts in Taiwanese. Psychiatry Res 2000; 96:175-178.
- Rajarethinam RP, DeQuardo JR, Brunberg J, Tandon R. Cavum septum pellucidum in schizophrenia: prevalence and implications. Schizophr Res 2001; 48:201-205.
- Lewis C, DeQuardo JR, Tandon R. Biological predictors of suicidality in schizophrenia. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1996; 44:416-420.
- Mann JJ, Brent DA, Arango V. The neurobiology and genetics of suicide and attempted suicide: a focus on the serotonergic system. Neuropsychopharmacology 2001; 24:467-477.
**This provides an outstanding discussion of the role of abnormalities in the serotonergic system in mediating the risk for suicidal behaviors across psychiatric disorders. - Correa H, Duval F, Mokrani MC, et al. Serotonergic function and suicidal behavior in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2002; 56:75-85.
*This is a good study addressing the role of serotonergic abnormalities in mediating suicidal behavior in schizophrenia. - Meltzer HY. Treatment of suicidality in schizophrenia [review]. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2001; 932:44-58 discussion, 58-60.
*This is a good review of the pharmacological treatment of suicidality in schizophrenic illness, with a particular emphasis on the role of clozapine. - Ciapparelli A, Dell'Osso L, Pini S, et al. Clozapine for treatment-refractory schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and psychotic bipolar disorder: a 24-month naturalistic study. J Clin Psychiatry 2000; 61:329-334.
- Meltzer HY, Alphs L, Altamura AC, et al. International suicide prevention trial (InterSePT): reduced suicidality in schizophrenia with clozapine treatment. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2003; 59:82-91.
- Tamam L, Ozpoyraz N. Suicide during clozapine treatment: a case report. Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci 2001; 38:127-132.
- Sernyak MJ, Desai R, Stolar M, Rosenheck R. Impact of clozapine on completed suicide. Am J Psychiatry 2001; 158:931-937.
*This is a comprehensive parallel-group controlled, prospective study on the impact of clozapine treatment on rates of completed suicide in schizophrenia. - Peuskens J, Van Baelen B, De Smedt C, Lemmens P. Effect of risperidone on affective symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 2000; 15:343-349.
- Keck, Jr PE, Strakowski SM, McElroy SL. The efficacy of atypical antipsychotics in the treatment of depressive symptoms, hostility, and suicidality in patients with schizophrenia. J Clin Psychiatry 2000; 61 (Suppl 3): 4-9.
- Aleman A, Kahn RS. Effects of the atypical antipsychotic risperidone on hostility and aggression in schizophrenia: a meta-analysis of controlled trials. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2001; 11:289-293.
- Chakos M, Lieberman J, Hoffman E, et al. Effectiveness of second-generation antipsychotics in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry 2001; 158:518-526.
*This presents an excellent comparison of available 'atypical' antipsychotics in the treatment of 'treatment-resistant' schizophrenia. - Jibson MD, Tandon R. Treatment of schizophrenia. Psychiatr Clin North Am, Annual of Drug Therapy 2000; 7:83-113.
- Khan A, Khan SR, Lenthal RM, Brown WA. Symptom reduction and suicide risk among patients treated with placebo in antipsychotic clinical trials: an analysis of the Food and Drug Administration database. Am J Psychiatry 2001; 158:1449-1454.
- Fontaine KR, Heo M, Harrigan EP, et al. Estimating the consequences of antipsychotic induced weight gain on health and mortality. Psychiatry Res 2001; 101:277-288.
*This is an excellent study of the risks and benefits of clozapine treatment for mortality in schizophrenia. - Cunningham Owens DG, Carroll A, Fattah S, et al. A randomized, controlled trial of a brief interventional package for schizophrenic out-patients. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2001; 103:362-369.
*This is a sobering study on the impact of an educational intervention on outcome in schizophrenia. - Burgess P, Pirkis J, Morton J, Croke E. Lessons from a comprehensive clinical audit of users of psychiatric services who committed suicide. Psychiatr Serv 2000; 51:1555-1560.
- Taiminen T, Huttunen J, Heila H, et al. The Schizophrenia Suicide Risk Scale (SSRS): development and initial validation. Schizophr Res 2001; 47:199-213.
- Bleuler E. Dementia praecox or the group of schizophrenias. New York: International Universities Press; 1950. p. 488.