Intracranial self-stabbing.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the psychiatric state of patients who stab themselves in the brain (intracranial self-stabbing), including whether the behavior is usually an attempt to commit suicide and whether it is performed in association with symptoms of psychotic illness.


METHODS
A search for cases of intracranial self-stabbing in New South Wales, Australia (NSW), and a systematic search for published case reports of intracranial self-stabbing.


RESULTS
We located 5 cases in NSW in the last 10 years and 47 published case reports of intracranial self-stabbing since 1960. Intracranial self-stabbing was associated with a diagnosis of a psychotic illness in 27 of 49 (55%) cases in which a diagnosis was available. Intracranial self-stabbing was not always performed with the intention of committing suicide and does not usually have a fatal outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
Intracranial self-stabbing appears to be an under-recognized form of self-harm that is associated with, but not limited to, psychotic illness.
Large
Matthew
M
Mental Health Service, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia. mmbl@bigpond.com.au
Babidge
Nicholas
N
Nielssen
Olav
O
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry; D020197:Head Injuries, Penetrating / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000523:psychology*