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REVIEW article

Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Aging Psychiatry
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1449526
This article is part of the Research Topic Suicide in Geriatric Populations View all 6 articles

Neurobiology and Medico-Legal Aspects of Suicides Among Older Adults: a narrative review

Provisionally accepted
Francesco Sessa Francesco Sessa 1*Rita Polito Rita Polito 2Giuseppe Li Rosi Giuseppe Li Rosi 1MONICA SALERNO MONICA SALERNO 1Massimiliano Esposito Massimiliano Esposito 3Daniela Pisanelli Daniela Pisanelli 4Federica Ministeri Federica Ministeri 1Antonietta Messina Antonietta Messina 5Marco Carotenuto Marco Carotenuto 5Sergio Chieffi Sergio Chieffi 5Giovanni Messina Giovanni Messina 5Marcellino Monda Marcellino Monda 5
  • 1 Department of Medical, Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies G.F. Ingrassia, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
  • 2 Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Apulia, Italy
  • 3 Department of Medicine and Surgery, Kore University of Enna, Enna, Sicily, Italy
  • 4 University Hospital - Ospedali Riuniti, Foggia, Apulia, Italy
  • 5 University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Campania, Italy

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The task of preventing suicide in older adults is an important social burden as older adults aged above 65 are exposed to singular psychological aspects that increase suicide risks. Moreover, when an older adult corpse is found, the medico-legal inspection represents a fundamental tool to identify the exact cause of death, classifying or excluding it as suicide.In this scenario, this review aims to explore the neurobiological factors that could be related to suicidal behavior in older adults. A further goal of this review is the exploration of the medico-legal aspects surrounding older adult suicides, clarifying the importance of forensic investigation.Particularly, this review examines issues such as neurotransmitter imbalances, cognitive impairment, neuroinflammation, psychosocial factors related to geriatric suicide, and neurodegenerative diseases.Additionally, medico-legal aspects such as policy considerations, legal frameworks, mental health assessments, ethical implications and forensic investigation were explored. Considering the importance of this phenomenon, especially in western countries, a need has emerged for focused screening tools on suicidal behavior among older adults, in order to contain it. Therefore, this review makes an exhaustive appraisal of the literature giving insights into the delicate interplay between neurobiology as well as mental health in relation to older adult suicide within a medico-legal context.The comprehension of different aspects about this complex phenomenon is fundamental to propose new and more effective interventions, supporting tailored initiatives such as family support and improving healthcare, specifically towards vulnerable ageing societies to reduce older adult suicide risks.

    Keywords: Aging, Neurobiology, Medico-legal aspects, Suicides, Older adult, populations

    Received: 15 Jun 2024; Accepted: 12 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Sessa, Polito, Li Rosi, SALERNO, Esposito, Pisanelli, Ministeri, Messina, Carotenuto, Chieffi, Messina and Monda. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Francesco Sessa, Department of Medical, Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies G.F. Ingrassia, University of Catania, Catania, Italy

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.