Patients with Asperger’s Disorder are at High Risk of Developing Suicidal Thoughts: Study

People with Asperger's syndrome are more likely to develop suicidal tendencies, finds a study.

Asperger's disorder (AD) is a form of autism spectrum disorder categorized by poor and restricted social behavior and body language skills. Researchers from the Cambridge Lifetime Asperger's Syndrome Service (CLASS) clinic in U.K found suicidal thoughts are nine times higher in adults with AD.

For the study, experts interviewed 256 men and 118 women who were diagnosed with the condition between 2004 and 2013 to note their likelihood of developing self-destructive behavior.

Their analysis revealed suicidal ideation occurred in nearly 66 percent of the AD patients compared to 17 percent in those without any mental illnesses and 56 percent of patients with psychosis.  Out of the 66 percent of AD patients who thought of committing suicide, around 35 percent attempted suicide at least once during their lifetime.

In addition, it was observed suicidal behaviors were typical among adults with AD who reportedly suffered depression in the past. These subjects were four times more likely to contemplate suicide than other patients of AD without having a history of depression.

"Adults with Asperger's syndrome often suffer with secondary depression due to social isolation, loneliness, social exclusion, lack of community services, underachievement and unemployment," said Simon Baron-Cohen, co-author and researcher from the University of Cambridge in a news release.

"Their depression and risk of suicide are preventable with the appropriate support. This study should be a wake-up call for the urgent need for high quality services, to prevent the tragic waste of even a single life," he added.

The authors believe in investigating further to determine if other factors like age, family history of suicide and aggression induce such behavior in AD patients.

More information is available online in the journal Lancet Psychiatry.