title: Suicide in two patients with a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer disease.
abstract: Two patients meeting the criteria for probable Alzheimer disease (AD) who were participating in a phase 3 clinical program with eptastigmine, a cholinesterase inhibitor, committed suicide. The first patient committed suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The second patient committed suicide by jumping from a 19th story window. These two patients shared several clinical features with those found in the literature: being at the early stages of the disease, having a high level education, with preserved insight, having access to firearms, and being aware of not responding to pharmacological treatment.
authors.affiliation: Silberstein Aging and Dementia Research Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ferris
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Hofeldt
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carbone
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Masciandaro
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Troetel
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Imbimbo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D018450:Disease Progression; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D017211:Treatment Failure