Citation

Salib E, Tadros G. Br. J. Psychiatry 2000; 177: 257-261.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Royal College of Psychiatry)

DOI

10.1192/bjp.177.3.257

PMID

11040888

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There is little available literature on the effect of suicide methods on brain weight. AIMS: To explore variations in post-mortem brain weight in different methods of fatal self-harm (FSH) and in deaths from natural causes.

METHOD: A review of a sample of coroners' records of elderly persons (60 and above). Verdicts of suicide, misadventure and open verdicts were classified as FSH. Post-mortem brain weight for 142 FSH victims and 150 victims of unexpected, sudden or unexplained death due to natural causes, and from various methods of FSH, were compared.

RESULTS: Brain weight of victims of FSH was significantly higher than of those who died of natural causes (P < 0.01); brain weights in both groups were within the normal range for this age group. There was no significant difference in brain weight between different methods of FSH (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: The findings require critical examination and further research, to include data from younger age groups. A regional or national suicide neuropathological database could be set up if all victims of FSH underwent routine neurohistochemical post-mortem examination.

Language: en

Keywords

*Suicide; Aged; Brain/*pathology; Cause of Death; England/epidemiology; Female; Humans; Male; Organ Size; Postmortem Changes; Retrospective Studies; Self-Injurious Behavior/pathology