Do Atypical Antipsychotics Have Antisuicidal Effects? A Hypothesis-Generating Overview

Maurizio Pompili; Ross J. Baldessarini; Alberto Forte; Denise Erbuto; Gianluca Serafini; Andrea Fiorillo; Mario Amore; Paolo Girardi

doi:10.3390/ijms17101700

International Journal of Molecular Sciences (Oct 2016)

Do Atypical Antipsychotics Have Antisuicidal Effects? A Hypothesis-Generating Overview

Maurizio Pompili,
Ross J. Baldessarini,
Alberto Forte,
Denise Erbuto,
Gianluca Serafini,
Andrea Fiorillo,
Mario Amore,
Paolo Girardi

Affiliations

Maurizio Pompili: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00189, Italy
Ross J. Baldessarini: International Consortium for Mood and Psychotic Disorders Research, Mailman Research Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02468, USA
Alberto Forte: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00189, Italy
Denise Erbuto: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00189, Italy
Gianluca Serafini: Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Genoa 16126, Italy
Andrea Fiorillo: Department of Psychiatry, University of Naples SUN, Naples I-80138, Italy
Mario Amore: Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Genoa 16126, Italy
Paolo Girardi: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00189, Italy

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17101700
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 17, no. 10
p. 1700

Abstract

Read online

Modern antipsychotic drugs are employed increasingly in the treatment of mood disorders as well as psychoses, stimulating interest in their possible contributions to altering suicidal risk. Clozapine remains the only treatment with an FDA-recognized indication for reducing suicidal risk (in schizophrenia). We carried out a systematic, computerized search for reports of studies involving antipsychotic drug treatment and suicidal behaviors. A total of 19 reports provide data with preliminary support for potential suicide risk-reducing effects of olanzapine, quetiapine, ziprasidone, aripiprazole, and asenapine in addition to clozapine, and provide some support for antipsychotic drug treatment in general. These preliminary findings encourage further testing of antipsychotics for effects on suicidal behavior, making use of explicit, pre-planned assessments of suicidal behavior.

Published in International Journal of Molecular Sciences

ISSN: 1661-6596 (Print); 1422-0067 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General); Science: Chemistry
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijms

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords