title: Suicidality and epilepsy: a neuropsychobiological perspective.
abstract: People with epilepsy (PWE) are at increased risk of experiencing suicidal ideation, displaying suicidal behavior, and committing suicide than the general population. The relationship between suicidality and epilepsy is complex and multifactorial in which operant pathogenic mechanisms include epilepsy-related variables, personal and familial psychiatric history, and iatrogenic effects. Furthermore, a bidirectional relationship between suicidality and epilepsy has suggested the existence of common neurobiological pathogenic mechanisms operant in both conditions and including disturbances of several neurotransmitters, in particular, serotonin (5HT), norepinephrine (NE), glutamate (GTE), and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and disturbances of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA), which, in turn, can result in abnormal secretion of some of these neurotransmitters. The purpose of this article is to review these common neurobiological pathogenic mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Zagreb Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Hrvoje
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hecimovic
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salpekar
authors.forename: Andres M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kanner
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Barry
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents