A systematic review finds suicidality is a concern in ALS, especially early after diagnosis
Original source
Suicide in neurodegenerative diseases: a systematic review. (opens in a new tab)Compass summarised this from the study's abstract.
Study details
- Study type
- Systematic review
- Studied in
- Human
A systematic review found that people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may have a higher risk of suicidality, including suicidal thoughts, attempts and suicide. The review found that suicidality was mainly detected during the first years after diagnosis in ALS, and identified depression and low social connectivity as common risk factors across the diseases studied.
Why this matters
The findings highlight a need for awareness of mental health and social support needs in people with ALS, particularly early after diagnosis. This review does not show that any specific intervention prevents suicide or change ALS treatment.
Limitations and context
The review included only six studies focused on ALS. Across all included diseases, the evidence was described as scarce and highly variable, with studies judged to have moderate to low risk of bias. The review included different study designs, including retrospective studies, case reports and case series, so the findings do not establish causation or an individual person's level of risk.