Dementia subtypes and suicidality: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Eleanor Nuzum; Radvile Medeisyte; Roopal Desai; Anastasia Tsipa; Caroline Fearn; Aphrodite Eshetu; Georgina Charlesworth; Gavin R Stewart; Sebastian J Crutch; Céline El Baou; Suman Kurana; Emilie V Brotherhood; Katie Flanagan; Alberto Salmoiraghi; Amy Kerti; Joshua Stott; Ambr John

doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105995

Dementia subtypes and suicidality: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2024 Dec 31:105995. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105995. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Eleanor Nuzum¹, Radvile Medeisyte¹, Roopal Desai¹, Anastasia Tsipa¹, Caroline Fearn¹, Aphrodite Eshetu¹, Georgina Charlesworth², Gavin R Stewart³, Sebastian J Crutch⁴, Céline El Baou¹, Suman Kurana¹, Emilie V Brotherhood⁴, Katie Flanagan¹, Alberto Salmoiraghi⁵, Amy Kerti⁵, Joshua Stott⁶, Ambr John¹

Affiliations

¹ ADAPT Lab, Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology Department, University College London, London, UK.
² ADAPT Lab, Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology Department, University College London, London, UK; Research and Development, North East London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
³ ADAPT Lab, Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology Department, University College London, London, UK; Insitute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
⁴ Dementia Research Centre, University College London, London, UK.
⁵ Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Cymru NHS, Wales, UK.
⁶ ADAPT Lab, Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology Department, University College London, London, UK. Electronic address: j.stott@ucl.ac.uk.

PMID: 39746589
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105995

Abstract

Aims: Recent research has highlighted a link between dementia and increased risk of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts and suicide deaths. Understanding the relative risk of suicide between subtypes of dementia is important for services to offer appropriate intervention.

Method: We searched five databases from inception to July 2023 for peer-reviewed publications reporting suicidal ideation, suicide attempt or death by suicide for at least two dementia subtypes. Meta-analyses compared suicidality between subtypes of dementia with Alzheimer's Disease (AD).

Results: From 4,983 studies identified, 12 met inclusion criteria. Pooling data, people with Vascular Dementia were significantly more likely to experience suicidal ideation (OR= 2.02 [95% CI= 1.06;3.8]) and attempt suicide (OR=1.94 [95% CI= 1.28;2.94]) than people with AD, but not die by suicide (OR= 1.05 [95% CI= 0.69;1.59]). People with Dementia with Lewy Bodies were significantly more likely to report suicidal ideation (OR= 1.56 [95% CI= 1.09;2.23]) than AD but not attempt suicide (OR= 1.12 [95% CI= 0.83;1.50]). People with Frontotemporal Dementia were significantly more likely to attempt suicide (OR= 2.42 [95% CI= 1.02;5.72]) than people with AD but not report suicidal ideation (OR= 1.67 [95% CI= 0.34;8.33]). People with Mixed Dementia were significantly more likely to attempt suicide (OR= 2.83 [95% CI= 1.52;5.27]) than people with AD but not report suicidal ideation (OR = 1.65 [95% CI= 0.5;5.46]).

Conclusions: Further research is needed to understand what underlies the increased risks of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts for rarer subtypes.

Keywords: Alzheimer's Disease; Dementia; Dementia with Lewy Bodies; Frontotemporal Dementia; Meta-Analysis; Mixed Dementia; Suicide; Systematic Review; Vascular Dementia.

Publication types

Review