Suicide in Parkinson’s Disease: The Role of Dopamine Deficiency

Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease markedly lowering the quality of life. Suicidal ideation is elevated in Parkinson’s disease, and affected patients may be at a higher risk for suicide, especially after Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). Lower quality of life does not show to be enough to explain this increased risk for suicidality. A number of major risk factors for suicide overlap with some of the most common non-motor symptoms preceding or accompanying Parkinson’s disease. This thesis explores these overlapping factors - notably depression, impulsivity, problems with executive function, and an unbalanced HPA axis - and demonstrates that dopamine is an essential part of the mechanisms in each of the aforementioned factors. Thus, dopamine plays a crucial role in suicide in Parkinson’s disease, and possibly among other populations as well.