Suicide soon after generalized tonic-clonic seizure. A possible peri-ictal phenomenon?
We report the case of 36-year-old woman who had suffered from focal-unilateral right febrile grand mal since she was 9 months old as a result of neonatal asphyxia. Over the years, a modification of the clinical picture occurred and eventually the patient suffered from paranoid delusions that impaired her ability to work. After many years free from seizures, she experienced one day a generalized tonic-clonic seizure that required hospitalization and, soon thereafter, she committed suicide.
Pompili
Maurizio
M
Department of Psychiatry, Sant'Andrea Hospital, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy. maurizio.pompili@uniroma1.it
Girardi
Paolo
P
Lester
David
D
Tatarelli
Roberto
R
D004830:Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012563:Schizophrenia, Paranoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013405:Suicide