ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the suicide risk in persons with various neurological disorders. Multiple sclerosis is a disorder of the white matter of the brain. The symptoms are varied, but may include visual disturbances, coordination problems, paresis, sensory disturbances, urinary problems, mental changes, memory problems, and sexual changes and problems. Epilepsy is the symptom of a temporary electrical dysfunction of the nerve fibers in the brain. A Danish study from 1970 by N. Koch-Henriksen, P. Juul-Jensen, and M. Lund examined the mortality among a representative large group of patients with epilepsy. They found that the risk of suicide was increased three times. Patients with spinal cord injuries have higher mortality rates than the general population. Suicide is one of most frequent causes of death in this population, and it is assumed that the risk of suicide is increased four times compared to background population.
